Emotions VS Power
by Rogue Ronin
Summary: A sequel to Past Enemies Meets Present Foes: Co-fic with Kitty: When the smoke clears, and all of the fighting is done. Which one will be proven to be stronger in the end? Will it be love, or will it be power? Completed
1. Ch 1

Disclaimer: Hey, we're back! Yea, Kitty and I (Rogue Ronin) are doing a sequel! We'll try and make it even better than the first co-fic! Ok, here's for the legality, we don't own the ronin warriors in any way, shape or form. But Kitty does own Katie, and I own Kaye and Lightning. If ya have questions or just want to email us our emails are kittypunk16@aol.com and cokeacola_75@hotmail.com (mine). Now then, enjoy the fic and hopefully we'll hear from ya! Ja Ne!  
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Emotions VS Power  
  
Chapter 1  
  
With the latest battle against Maguyser and Dago was finally over, life at the Koji mansion was peaceful once again. Well, as peaceful as it can get with having five guys, three females, and two tigers could be. "Has anyone seen where Kaye went to? We were suppose to go to the mall today." Katie asked as she grabbed her jacket.  
  
"I think that I saw her out back." Ryo said as he was checking over White Blaze.  
  
"Thanks." Katie replied as she headed out back. When she got there, Katie noticed that Kaye seemed like she was in deep thought.   
  
"Kaye, hello." Katie said as she was trying to get her attention. No response, so Katie decided to try again.  
  
"Hey Kaye! Earth to Kaye." Katie said as she finally got her attention. Kaye rubbed her eyes and then turns her attention towards Katie.  
  
"Huh, oh sorry Katie did you say something?" Kaye asked.  
  
"Are you ok, you seemed to be kinda preoccupied with something?" Katie replied as she looked at her with concern.   
  
"Ah yea Katie I'm fine. So what's up?" Kaye asked with a small smile.  
  
"Did you forget that we were suppose to go to the mall today?" Katie asked as she raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"I guess that I did, sorry about that. We can still go, that is if there's enough time." Kaye replied as she rubbed her eyes.  
  
"We have a few hours before it closes. It looks like you're gonna have to drive though." Katie said.  
  
"Oh really, how come?" Kaye asked as she looked at Katie curiously.  
  
"The guys are supposed to wash Mia's jeep, as well as my car." Katie said.  
  
"Why do they have to wash both vehicles?" Kaye asked curiously.  
  
"Don't you remember? They lost a bet that they had going on with us, so the winner got to choose the punishment. Are you sure that you're feeling all right, I mean either Mia or I could drive if you don't feel up to it?" Katie asked in concern.  
  
"Oh yea, now I remember. Yea I'm fine, so let's get going already." Kaye replied as she started to go inside. Katie watched in concern for her friend. She knew that Kaye hadn't been acting the same since the last battle with Maguyser.   
  
"What's going on Kaye?" Katie wondered.  
  
"Katie are ya coming or what? We're ready to go." Mia yelled from Kaye's car.  
  
"Hey wait up!" Katie yelled as she ran to the car, and the three of them took off for the mall. After a few hours of shopping, they finally decided to go back home. As Mia and Katie were talking excitedly about the party that all of them were going to that night, Kaye was having trouble driving. The car kept on swerving left and right, luckily there were barely any cars out on the road. Then all of a sudden, the car took a swerve to the left, and a semi was coming straight at them.   
  
"Kaye! Watch out!" Katie yelled as she grabbed the wheel, and she quickly turned it, so the car would go back into the right lane and onto the shoulder where it stopped.  
  
"Kaye what happened?" Mia asked as she looked over at her in concern.  
  
"Yea Kaye, you're usually a lot more careful when you're driving. Are you sure that you're all right?" Katie asked.  
  
"I'm fine, there's nothing wrong with me. Now let's just drop it and go home so we can get ready for the party." Kaye replied as she rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Sorry Kaye, but we're not going anywhere until you tell us what's going on." Katie replied sternly.  
  
"Nothing is going on. Why can't you believe me?" Kaye asked with a hurt look in her eyes. Katie and Mia looked at each other, and then suddenly Kaye shouted out. Kaye's shout made Katie and Mia quickly turn their heads in Kaye's direction. They saw Kaye holding her head like she was in major pain, and then it stopped. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up, what Kaye saw were her two friends looking at her in concern.  
  
"Ok that's it, you are definitely in no condition to drive home. I'm driving, so we are going to switch places, and I don't want to hear any argument from you. Is that clear?" Katie asked as she opened her door. Kaye nodded her head, and opened the door and then switched places with her. Katie then started the car and drove the rest of the way home.   
  
"Hey guys check it out, the girls are back." Kento said as he saw Katie in the driver's seat. Kento looked somewhat confused, because there was no way that Kaye would let someone else drive her car without a reason.   
  
Katie stopped the car just as the guys were coming over to meet them. "Katie, I'm fine. How many times do I have to tell you?" Kaye asked as she looked at her in annoyance.  
  
"Oh yea, you're fine all right, if you call fine almost crashing into a semi on the way home, then yea you're fine." Katie shot back, not bothering to keep the sarcasim out of her voice.  
  
"What! Whoa, time out! What do you mean by almost crashing into a semi?" Ryo asked in alarm.  
  
"It was nothing, my vision went blurry for a second, and that's all." Kaye replied.  
  
"No Kaye, that's not all, and you know it. Now either you tell them or I will." Katie said sternly.  
  
"Katie..." Kaye replied.  
  
"I'm sorry Kaye, but the guys have a right to know." Mia said.  
  
"Mia..." Kaye objected.  
  
"Kaye." Sage said as he interrupted. "Go on Mia."   
  
Mia nodded and then continued her story, "you see after Katie took the wheel, and then pulled us over, Kaye yelled out, clutching her head in pain, and then Katie drove us home." Mia explained.   
  
"Kaye, how long has this been going on?" Cye asked as he looked at her in concern.  
  
"Huh, would ya look at the time? There's a few hours until the party, so why don't we just go in and..." Kaye replied as she tried to get past the guys to get inside.  
  
"Hold on, you're not going anywhere until we get some answers." Kento said as he grabbed onto her from behind.  
  
"Kento let go!" Kaye replied as she was trying to get out of his hold.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let go, we need to know what's been going on with you." Kento said as he was trying to restrain her.  
  
Just then Kaye suddenly stopped struggling, her eyes went wide with fear, "no more, please no more! So much blood, blood everywhere. Voices screaming, screaming for them to stop...Tenshu." Kaye whispered. "Tenshu!" she yelled as she quickly elbowed Kento in the ribs and then stepped back and flipped him onto his back and started to back away.  
  
"Tenshu? Why would she call out his name?" Katie wondered in confusion.  
  
"Kaye, take it easy. We're not going to hurt you; everything is going to be ok. Just calm down." Cye said as he tried to calm her.  
  
"Oh God, Kento I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Kaye said as she saw that Kento was carefully getting up while holding onto his side.  
  
"Heh, that was a really good move. I'm going to have to remember that one." Kento replied as he chuckled.  
  
"Kaye, I think that we better get you upstairs and into bed. You look like you could use the rest." Katie said as she carefully approached her.   
  
"Yea, maybe you're right." Kaye replied as she let Katie guide her back to the mansion. "I'm sorry Kento, I'm sorry," she whispered quietly as they passed him.   
  
"Kento let me take a look at your ribs." Sage said as he approached him.  
  
"They're fine Sage, just a little sore, nothing to be concerned about." Kento replied as he kept his eyes on the front door.  
  
"I'm not going to take that chance, now let me take a look all right." Sage said sternly.  
  
"Fine, but make it quick." Kento replied in annoyance as he sat down and let Sage take a look.   
  
"Well Sage, how is he?" Ryo asked in concern.  
  
"He's lucky, his ribs are just a little bruised, but nothing to worry about." Sage replied as he was done.  
  
"See, I told you. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to check on Kaye and see if she's all right." Kento said as he started to walk away.  
  
"Kento, wait..." Mia said just as he was opening the door.  
  
"Forget it Mia, you know how he gets when Kaye's involved." Rowen replied as they watched him enter the mansion.  
  
"I know Rowen, it's just why is all of this, whatever it is going on now?" Mia asked in confusion.  
  
"Not sure, but whatever it is, I have a feeling that we haven't seen anything yet." Cye replied as they finally decided to go inside.  
  
Kento was just about to open Kaye's door when Katie came out. "Kento." Katie said as she almost ran into him.  
  
"Katie how is she?" Kento asked in concern.  
  
"She's asleep right now, it looks like she's finally calmed down though. How are your ribs?" Katie asked.  
  
"A little sore, but fine. What's going on Katie? What is causing her to act this way, and for how long?" Kento replied in confusion.  
  
"I don't know, but for her sake, as well as for ours, I hope that whatever is happening to her will stop. Because if it doesn't, I wouldn't want to think what might happen if this keeps up." Katie said as they started to go down stairs.  
  
Three hours later...  
  
"Hey Kento are ya coming or what?" Rowen yelled from the banister.  
  
"Yea I'm coming, I'm talking with Kaye right now. Do ya mind?" Kento yelled back. "Now are you sure that you'll be ok here by yourself?" he asked as he looked at her in concern. He didn't feel right about leaving her alone while the rest of them went to the party.  
  
"Kento, I'll be just fine. Don't worry ok. Go and have a good time. Honest, and besides, I won't be completely alone, I'll have Lightning and White Blaze here with me. So go already before Rowen comes up here and physically drags you into the car." Kaye replied as she laughed.  
  
"I don't know, I still think that I should stay here with you." Kento said.  
  
"Hey, I don't want you to miss out on the party of the year, on my account. Besides, I'll still be here when you get back." Kaye replied, as she got closer to him.  
  
"Promise." Kento replied, as he looked deep into her eyes.  
  
"I promise." Kaye said with a grin.  
  
"Kento, come on!" Rowen yelled again as he was starting to get impatient.  
  
Kaye gave a small giggle, "you better get going." Kaye said.  
  
"Ok, but not before I do this." Kento replied as he went to kiss her passionately.  
  
Neither of them wanted this moment to end, but unfortunately Rowen finally had it, he was tired of waiting downstairs. He walked quickly up the stairs, and then stopped when he reached the top. He crossed his arms and started to tap his foot impatiently, "hey Kento, you're the one that somehow for the life of me, I'm not sure how, talked me into going to this party. So we are going right now." Rowen said as he pulled Kento backwards making him and Kaye break apart their kiss.  
  
Kaye gave a small laugh as she watched Rowen drag Kento down the stairs, out the door and to the car, where they finally took off for the party. "Well I guess that just leaves you and me guys, so what do ya say that we get something to eat." Kaye said as she turned around to the two tigers, which were already in the kitchen. 


	2. Ch 2

Emotions VS Power  
  
Chapter 2  
  
With Mia driving all of them, minus Kaye made their way to the party that was being held by one of Mia's friends from the University. The party was at a mansion, a very big beautiful mansion that sat back a ways from the road. Coming up the long dirt driveway they could see just the top of the mansion and then the whole mansion came into view. A circle drive with a fountain in the middle of it was the first thing they came upon, and then the front entrance to the mansion. Stopping the car Mia, the guys and Katie all got out. A man wearing what looked like a Schaffer's uniform came along the driver's side of Mia's jeep and drove it around to park it.   
  
"Whoa, now that's what I call service." Kento said, as he looked around, stunned. Katie laughed some at his statement and stunned looking face.   
  
"Their rich Kento, rich people have Shaffer's. They also live in big, beautiful mansions." She stated as she looked around at the mansion. Two gigantic tigers sat at either side of the stairs that lead to the doors to the mansion. Huge concrete pillars sat at the top of the stairs and held up the balcony above them.   
  
"I don't think rich is the right word to describe them." Rowen said as he looked around, marveling at the detail and work in the tigers. "More like millionaires."   
  
Cye nodded at his comment, "Yea, they'd have to be." Mia shook her head and her silver dangling earrings swung either way. Her midnight blue dress sparkled when she started walking up the stairs to the doors. Her black high heeled sandals clicking as she walked up the concrete steps. Katie followed behind her with Sage behind her. Ryo grabbed Rowen and Cye and began to drag them up the stairs. Kento followed after them.   
  
Finally reaching the doors they were surprised to find people waiting to let them in. The men smiled and opened the doors for them. All seven of them walked in and was taken back by what they saw. "Gran dios sobre....." Katie whispered as she looked around at the people, the elegant furniture, the giant chandelier, and the beautiful artwork on the ceiling and walls. Ryo chuckled some as he looked around, "I don't know what you said sis, but whatever it was you got the right idea."  
  
"Mia darling!" Called a voice from a female. A petite woman wearing an elegant dress, white gloves and way to much jewelry made her way up to Mia.  
  
Mia smiled at the woman, "Leanna, how are you?" The woman walked up to them and stopped. The smile never leaving her face as she looked around at the guys. Katie seeing the look she was giving Sage put her arms around his and smiled at her.   
  
Leanna gave her a half smile and turned back to Mia. "Mia, it's been forever." The smile returning to her face as she talked. "I'm so glad you could come, but weren't there supposed to be eight of you?"   
  
Mia nodded some, "Kaye wasn't feeling well so she stayed home. She sends her thanks though for being invited."   
  
Leanna nodded some at her statement. "Yes, well tell her I hope she feels better." She said. "And who are your friends Mia?" Mia smiled and pointed at each one of the guys and introduced them. Leanna in turn smiled and added a hello to them. "And this is one of my good friend's niece, Katie." She said as she pointed at Katie. Katie smiled and held out her hand to shake. Leanna timidly took her hand. Looking up and down at what she was wearing and seeming to scuff at it.   
  
"Well, Mia I have other guests to attend to if you don't mind. I'm glad that you all came. I hope you enjoy your time here." She said and walked off.   
  
Katie glared at her back. "qu una perra completa y completa. I don't think she liked me very much."   
  
Ryo looked at her, "Why do you say that sis?"   
  
Mia looked at her with a very puzzled look. "I think she liked you Katie. Why wouldn't she?"  
  
"Did you see the way she was looking at what I was wearing?" Katie asked.   
  
Mia laughed some at her statement. "Katie I think your just imagining things. You look very nice."   
  
Katie crossed her arms. "Yea, well not in her book." Katie was wearing a silver mini skirt with a red halter and silver high heels that had straps that went up her ankles. Her hair was as usual down with a few spiral curls in it.   
  
Sage smiled as he looked at her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Katie trust me, you look fine. Just because you're not wearing elegant gowns and dresses like Leanna and her friends are doesn't mean anything."  
  
Ryo and Mia both nodded at her. "Yea, you're not as old as Leanna or me so no one expects you to be wearing something like Leanna." Mia said with a smile. Katie seemed to understand what she was saying and nodded. Mia's smile was then replaced by a very stern look. "No mind reading or any power using tonight though young lady. Do I make myself clear?"   
  
Katie smiled innocently at her, "Mia, you hurt me. I wasn't going to do anything like that."  
  
Kento coughed, trying not to laugh and Rowen and Cye just shook their heads.   
  
Ryo chuckled some, "Sure you weren't. We know you Katie." She just smiled and looked around at the room again. They all broke apart and went their separate ways. Sage and Katie going to the dance floor while Kento, Rowen, Cye and Ryo went to the food table. Mia mingled with the guests, talking and laughing.  
  
~~~~~~at the Koji mansion~~~~~~  
  
Kaye was laying, sprawled out on the couch with the two tigers lying at either end of the couch below her. A pizza box and what was left of its contents was still inside the box. She flipped off the T.V. and laid her head down on the pillow. "I wonder how the party's going." She said out loud.   
  
Lightning stretched, *I'm sure they're having a nice time*. He said to her telepathically.   
  
Kaye looked at him and smirked, *and just what would you know about parties?*   
  
Lightning looked at her, then laid his head back down on his paws. *I know enough to know that they're having a nice time.*   
  
Kaye laughed some and yawned. *whatever you say Lightning* She then turned out the light and started to fall asleep.   
  
Silently the dark figure leaped from her perch in the tree to the top of the house. Ever so quietly she slid down the side of the roof and then opened the window. Quietly as to not alert anyone of her presence she slipped inside the dark house. She then slowly made her way out of the room she had found herself in. Her black as night body suit, that looked a lot like something a ninja or assassin would wear, made her blend in with her dark surroundings. Looking around to make sure no one had seen her she slowly made her way down the hall. She stopped suddenly when she became aware that there were three presences in the house.   
  
She looked down over the balcony and saw only two. The tigers. She felt puzzled about sensing three presences. Where could they other person be? She wondered to herself. She quietly made her way down the stairs, pressing herself against the wall so as to not be seen. Coming to the end of the stairs she crouched low and looked around. Lightning and White Blaze's ears twitched with the sound of feet. They lifted their heads and looked around. White Blaze got up and went to examine the kitchen. Lightning looked up at where Kaye had been. She now wasn't there. This confused him.   
  
The intruder crouched lower and pressed herself against the wall again as the tiger passed her. She then got up and moved towards the couch. As she got closer she pulled out her dagger that had been strapped to her thigh. She came around only to find nothing. Pondering where they could have gone distracted her momentarily. Giving Kaye whom was behind her enough time to make her move. Giving her a crashing blow to the back that sent her falling face first. The intruder recovered with lightning fast reflexes and caught herself before she fell. She whipped around and caught Kaye off guard.   
  
Kaye felt the blow to her gut and then saw everything blow by her as she hit the wall and fell to her knees. The assailant walked stealthily towards her. Kaye shook her head and jumped back to her feet. The intruder stopped and stared at her. Kaye took a fighting stance and glared at her. "Who are you? What do you want?" She asked her. The assailant just stood there, looking at her.  
  
~~~at the party~~~~  
  
Katie felt it before she sensed it. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. She needed to get back to the house. The need to protect whoever was in trouble was about to make her explode. She scanned the room trying to find a place where she could teleport without any one seeing her. Now all she had to do was ditch Mia and her pampered friend. Then the promise she had made to Mia came back to her. This was an emergency and she had a job to do. She'd understand, she thought to herself.  
  
"Ahhhh....would you excuse me." She said politely. "I have to go and refill my cup." Mia gave her a questioning look but didn't say anything to her. She quickly and quietly made her way over to the dark corner of the room. Snapping her fingers quickly and she was gone.   
  
Ryo searched the room. He had seen her go that way, but then she had just disappeared. He frowned and turned back the Rowen, Cye and Kento. "We need to go." He said as quietly as he could. Rowen looked puzzled at him and Cye raised an eyebrow.   
  
Kento grinned, "Yay! 'Bout time we got out of here. I'll grab blonde and then we can go."   
  
Rowen sighed, "I'll grab Mia. Ryo, why do you want to leave so badly?" Ryo looked around him as if making sure no one was listening and then turned back to him. "Because I just saw Katie leave and I have a sinking feeling that something is wrong." Cye's jaw dropped and then he hurriedly walked over to Mia.   
  
After some talking to her, Mia and Cye both walked over to the rest of them. After grabbing Sage on the way out and filling him in, having to wait for the car, they all took off for the house.  
  
~~~~at the house~~~  
  
"Your not who I'm after." She said as she quickly jumped backwards onto the couch and then up to the hallway. Katie appeared next to Kaye and looked up at her. Their eyes met and she instantly knew who it was or thought she knew. The assailant turned made a hasty retreat.   
  
Katie looked over at Kaye. "You ok?" She asked.   
  
Kaye nodded her head. "Yea, just go and get whoever that was!"   
  
Katie nodded and with a lightning fast move was up on the hallway and running after the attacker. She chased her outside and onto the roof. Cornered, the assailant turned around and faced her.   
  
Katie stood where she was and gave her a deadly glare. The assailant laughed silently. Katie cocked an eyebrow at her, "Who are you?" The assailant took off her mask that hid her face. Her shoulder length black hair feel free, her brown eyes twinkled with excitement. Katie gasped and took a step back. "Reann?" she whispered, not believing her eyes.   
  
She only smiled at her answer. Katie regained her composure and balled her hands into fists. She glared at her, "What do you want?"   
  
The black haired girl smirked some, "You will see in time." She said and jumped off the roof landing gracefully on the ground and taking off, running into the night. Katie stood there for a moment, staring off in the direction she had ran and then whispered, "Veremos....Reann." Before turning and walking back inside through the window. 


	3. Ch 3

Emotions VS Power  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Are you sure that you're all right?" Katie asked as she joined with her on the landing.   
  
"Yea Katie, I'm fine. Who was that?" Kaye asked back. Just as Katie was going to answer, the front door flew wide open as the guys and Mia charged in.   
  
"Kaye, what..happened?" Mia asked as they were looking around the very much-destroyed living room. Kaye winced thinking that Mia was going to majorly blow her top, but instead Mia saw something that made her lose her anger and replaced it with high concern. Next to the landing where Katie and Kaye were sitting was a very large dent in the wall. The dent had a distinguished pattern; it was an impalement of Kaye's back and shoulders.   
  
"Kaye, who did this?" Cye asked as they made their way to them through the mess.  
  
"I don't know. I couldn't see her very well, she was dressed in some kind of black ninja garb, or something." Kaye replied as she looked up at them.  
  
"Did she say what she wanted?" Rowen asked curiously.  
  
"No, not really. All she basically said to me was that I wasn't the one she was after. Talk about being at the wrong place, at the wrong time." Kaye replied with a scoff.  
  
"Kaye, this isn't something to be laughing about. You could have been hurt or worse." Kento said sternly.  
  
"This is ridiculous, it's like I told Katie, and I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with..," Kaye replied as she started to get up. But just as quickly as she got up, she went back down again, "ok, maybe I'm a little sore."  
  
"All right, that's it! I'm taking you upstairs to your room, and I don't want to hear another word about it." Kento said as he advanced towards Kaye to lift her up from the landing.  
  
"Come on." Kaye replied as she was starting to get a little annoyed.  
  
"Not another word." Kento said as he started to carry her up the stairs.  
  
"But..." Kaye replied.  
  
"Don't make me repeat myself." Kento said in a stubborn manner.  
  
"Sage and I will be up there shortly," Mia called out up to them. "Would the rest of you please try and clean up this mess and Katie, me and you will have a little chat when I'm done."  
  
"Heh, chat?" Katie repeats nervously.  
  
As the others were cleaning up the wrecked living room, Sage and Mia entered Kaye's room where they saw that Kento finally laid Kaye down in her bed. "Kaye, I'm going to need you to take your shirt off for a minute." Mia said.  
  
"MIA!" Kaye replied as she was starting to turn red as she glanced up at Kento.  
  
"We'll wait for you out in the hall if you need us." Sage said as he guided Kento out of the room.  
  
As soon as the door shut, "I can't believe that you said that, Mia, and in front of Kento no less." Kaye said in embarrassment.  
  
Mia gave a small chuckle, "Sorry about that, now since the guys are not in the room, would you mind?" Mia asked as she looked over to her.  
  
Kaye gave a small sigh and then carefully took her shirt off revealing a good size bruise on her abs, back, and shoulder blades. Mia then pushed gently on her rib cage to see if any ribs were broken. Luckily, none of them were, "All right Kaye, you can put your shirt back on." Mia said.   
  
"So doc, what's your diagnosis?" Kaye asked sarcastically.  
  
Just before Mia could answer, "Mia, is it ok to come back in yet?" Kento asked as he yelled through the door.  
  
"Yes Kento, you and Sage can come back in now." Mia replied as they came inside.  
  
"Mia, you didn't answer my question." Kaye said as they looked over to her.  
  
"So far as I can tell, you only have major bruising on your stomach, back and shoulder blades. Your ribs seem fine, but it wouldn't hurt to make some precautions." Mia replied as she gave a quick nod over to Sage. Sage got Mia's hint and transformed into his armor, and began the healing process. Then when he was done, Kaye fell asleep. As she was sleeping, they decided that they should let her rest, and join with the others downstairs.   
  
"How's Kaye doing?" Cye asked as he noticed them entering the living room.   
  
"She's sleeping right now, no major damage done, just some really bad bruises." Mia replied as they finally finished up fixing what they could.   
  
"She should have came with us, or at least I should have stayed here with her. Then..." Kento said halfheartedly.  
  
"Then you would have probably been hurt too. Besides Kento, she had Lightning and White Blaze here with her." Rowen replied as he tried to reason with him.  
  
"Yea, and look what happened Rowen, she still got hurt." Kento shot back as he threw a glare at the two tigers.   
  
*He's right, we should have kept a better eye on her.* Lightning thought as he ran outside.  
  
"Where's he going?" Cye asked as he watched him go. "Don't you think that we should go after him?"  
  
"Don't worry Cye, I'm sure that Lightning will come back on his own. Besides, we have more important things to deal with." Ryo replied as he tried to reassure him.   
  
"Yea, I suppose you're right." Cye said as everyone found a place to sit down.  
  
"Katie, what happened when you got here?" Sage asked as he got the discussion going.  
  
"Why would she be here? It doesn't make any sense. Why now, what could Reann want? She knows that I don't work for Maguyser any more." Katie thought to herself.  
  
"Katie? Katie, hey sis, wake up!" Ryo said as he was trying to get her attention.   
  
"Huh, oh ah, sorry Ryo, I guess that I'm as confused as the rest of you." Katie replied as she gave an apologetical smile towards him.   
  
"Oh yes and by the way young lady, how did you get here so fast without the rest of us?" Mia asked as she settled a stern look on her.  
  
"Ahhh... umm.... well you see... I.. erm..." Katie stuttered trying to think of something. "Mia I'm sorry, but I had to. I sensed something and my guardian actions just kicked in. I know I broke my promise to you, but it was an emergency! You saw what was going on here!" Katie said as she motioned with her hand to the still somewhat trashed room.  
  
Mia smiled some, "I know I was just kidding with you. I know you acted on impulse and wouldn't have broke a promise unless you had to."   
  
"So now what are we suppose to do? Just wait around and see if this intruder comes back again?" Kento asked as he was getting annoyed with the conversation that was taking place.   
  
"For the time being, Kento, that's all that we can do." Rowen replied as he crossed his arms.  
  
While they were talking, outside, Lightning was standing on a nearby tree branch that over looked Kaye's room. *Kaye, I'm sorry, you shouldn't have gotten hurt like that. I'm going to have to leave for a while, don't worry, I'll see to it that everything will be ok, I promise.* Lightning said telepathically. The tiger watched over her a little longer, and then he disappeared.  
  
Kaye opened her eyes, and then looked over at her window, *Lightning?* Kaye thought in confusion. She then sat up, and continued to stare out of her window.   
  
Elsewhere...  
  
"Reann, was your mission successful?" a dark, sinister voice asked from the shadows.  
  
"She wasn't where you said she would be, there was another girl there instead." Reann replied coldly.  
  
"What did this other girl look like?" the voice asked.   
  
Reann started to give Kaye's description, and then, "damn! That wretched girl is alive! Even after..." the voice hissed angrily.  
  
"After what? What are you talking about?" Reann asked curiously.  
  
"The girl that you described is a dream walker!" the voice replied angrily.  
  
"What! You can't be serious dream walkers don't exist! And even if they did, she didn't seem all that strong to me." Reann shot back as she placed one hand on her hip.   
  
"Don't underestimate her, Reann! She must not be at her full strength yet from using her dragon's song. She was the one that did this to me!" the voice hissed as it drew back the hooded cloak and revealed a very disfigured face.  
  
"That, that can't be possible," Reann said as she started to back away.  
  
"It is, and she did. But there was one little set back when she pulled off that little stunt." the voice replied as it pulled the hood back into place.  
  
"What's this little set back that you're talking about?" Reann asked with interest.  
  
"You see, when the dream walker used her dragon's song, our minds connected, and now she sees what I've done to my victims over and over again." The voice hissed in amusement.  
  
"So you're saying that whoever she uses this dragon's song on, then..?" Reann asked with an evil smile.  
  
"Yes, whoever she uses it on, she will have their memories for a period of time. But for how long no one really knows." The voice replied.  
  
"Then will this interfere with our original plan?" Reann asked curiously.  
  
"No Reann, everything will go as planned. But for now, I want you to just keep your eyes open, and watch them carefully. Watch them, study them, know their weaknesses, know their strengths, but make sure that they don't see you in the process. Also, for whatever reason, don't and I repeat, don't make any more sudden appearances. We don't want to tip our hand too soon." the voice replied as it disappeared.  
  
"I understand Maguyser, but you don't forget who I am, or what I'm capable of either." Reann said as she threw her dagger into the headboard of the throne, just before she disappeared. 


	4. Ch 4

Emotions VS Power  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Disclaimer stuff: Ok Rogue and me don't own any of the ronins or Mia. We jus like to use them in our so-called fics. ^_^;; We also are not making any kind of money off this. We do however own our own characters. I own Katie, the Elders, Maguyser, Reann, and another Character that may pop in this story. Rogue owns Kaye, Lightning, Dago and whatever other character that may pop up. If you want to barrow them, please ask first. Thanks. ~kitty  
  
~~~~~*****~~~~~~******~~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~~******~~~~~~  
  
A few weeks passed and they had all but forgotten about the incident. Kaye had gotten better with the exception of a few bruises. No one had seen hide or tail of the mysterious intruder. Although they still were all alert more, most of the time just in case an attack were to take place, that didn't stop any of them from having a good time though.   
  
It was a warm sunny day on a Saturday. Everyone seemed to be happy and doing something. Everyone but Katie. While Ryo and the guys were outside playing a game of tackle football she sat inside looking out the window. A faraway look on her usually smiling face. Mia and Kaye had gone to the store a while ago and now she just sat thinking. Pondering why Reann had come back. What her intentions had been. What she had wanted. Who she was after. Should she go and see the Elders? This one had been on her mind the most. Sure she could go and see them, yea. But did she want to? Did she really want to hear what they had to tell her? Hear them confirm that her suspicions were true.   
  
She vaguely heard the door open and close, but ignored it. She figured it was either Mia and Kaye coming in or one of the guys coming in to pester her. She didn't want to be bothered. She had enough on her mind at the moment and didn't care to be bothered with. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder and jumped, surprised by it. Turning around she saw Mia holding her hand out and Kaye frowning at her. Mia had a concerned look on her face as she looked at her.   
  
"You ok Katie?" Mia asked her, coming out of her stupor. Katie shrugged and jumped down from her seat by the window. Kaye smiled some as she put the bags she had been carrying on the table. She took two cans of pop from one of the bags and tossed one to Katie before she sat down at the table.   
  
"Come on Katie what's on your mind? I know that look. What's up?" She asked her as she took a sip of her pop. Katie sighed and sat down at the table across from her. She ran her finger along the edge of the pop can and then looked up at her.  
  
"Remember when you asked me who that person was?" She waited for Kaye to nod before she went on. "Well her names Reann, and she used to be one of my best friends when I was under Maguyser's control. She was almost like a sister to me." She stopped as memories started coming forth. She shook her head and the images went away.   
  
Mia sat down next to her. Now interested in the conversation that was taking place. "Why didn't you tell us about her before, Katie?"  
  
Katie went back to running her finger along the edge of the pop can. Taking her time before she answered her question. "I just wanted to forget about my past, ya know. I thought that by bringing up Reann that I would be pouring salt on an open wound."   
  
Kaye nodded some, as if understanding what she was saying. "But now that she's shown up, I figured that I should tell you about her." Katie continued. "Reann is an experienced assassin. Reann and my self were trained by the greatest of all assassins. She may not look it, but she is very dangerous."   
  
Kaye grimaced some as if remembering what had happened to her only a few weeks ago. "So I know. You have any idea what it feels like to get kicked into a wall?"   
  
Mia smiled at Kaye's question, "No, and I don't think I want to."  
  
Kaye nodded her head, "Yea, you don't want to."  
  
Katie smiled, "I know what that feels like Kaye. Not to good." She grew quiet again after she had said that. Mia cleared her throat and went back to putting the groceries away. The table grew quiet again as no one said anything. After a while Katie spoke up. "I've been thinking about going and talking to the Elders."   
  
"I think that would be a good idea., Katie." Mia replied as she put some can foods in one of the cupboards.   
  
"Is this what's been bothering you all this time?" Kaye asked her. Katie nodded some as she looked up at her.   
  
"I just didn't know if I wanted to."   
  
Kaye nodded slightly. She was quiet for a while as she thought. "I think it would be a good idea, Katie. Whatever you need to ask them you should do it. And then when you get back you, our boyfriends and me are going on a double date. You need to get out and do something. I think it would be fun, don't you?"  
  
Katie smiled and nodded, "Yea, I agree with you Kaye. Ok then when I get back we'll do that. See yas later." She then stood up from her chair and snapped her fingers. Instantly she disappeared before their eyes.   
  
~~~~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~~~*******  
  
"So she's going to go and see the Elders?" Reann said to herself as she walked down a long corridor. Maguyser had summoned her. "Soon my friend we will meet again.... And this time it won't be as pleasant." She walked through a set of huge doors and was in the throne room. A man in a hooded cloak sat at the throne. The candles that lined the walls dimly lighted the room.  
  
"Your late Reann, I called for you over 10 minutes ago." A raspy voice from underneath the cloak said.   
  
Reann bowed to the cloaked form. "Sorry master, I had a little..." The cloaked form raised one hand and waved her excuse away. "Save your breath child, I know why you are late. Now enough foolish games. I want you to do something for me."  
  
Reann looked doubtfully at him, but said nothing. She had learned over the years that it was better to listen and not speak if you wanted to live another day. When he didn't continue she spoke, "and that would be?"  
  
"I want you to bring me what's rightfully mine. I know you have been patiently waiting to and now is the time."  
  
"And if those other friends of hers try and stop me?" She asked.   
  
He seemed to laugh some at this. "Then I think you can take care of them. I want her back at all costs. My time of rein is approaching and she will be the one to put it in motion."  
  
Reann held a smirk back and bowed again. "As you wish master. It shall be done." She then turned from him and started to walk out of the throne room.  
  
"Reann." She stopped and listened for what he was going to say next. "I want her back in one piece." She smirked and continued to walk. I wouldn't dream of hurting one hair on her head. Besides, she is my only friend. Reann thought as she went to follow out her orders.   
  
~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~*****   
  
Katie arrived in front of the temple of the Elders. She walked through the familiar gates like she had so many other times. (If you read our first one than you'll know what I'm talking about) She walked up to the entrance to the temple and like always was stopped by the guards who guarded it. She sighed and willed herself to not kill them. "Move out of my way you dimwits! Its Katie." The guards moved the swords and allowed her passage. As she walked past them she whispered idiotas across their minds.   
  
Walking inside she came to a long hallway. Walking along it she then came into the throne of the Elders. There, sitting in their usual seats where the five Elders. (Again if you read the first one, you'll know what I'm talking about) She bowed to them so as to not be impolite and get yelled at by them. The Elders looked at her, showing no emotion in their weathered faces. Finally getting fed up with their silence she decided to speak. "Ok I'm guessing you all already know why I'm here?" They nodded their heads slowly to show that they did. "Ok then why? Why now? What does she want? Who does she want?"  
  
The Elders where all silent for a minute and then the eldest of them spoke, "You know the answers to those questions. You do not need us to answer them for you."   
  
She glared at them and placed a hand on her hip. Her attitude coming out full fledge. "What the hell is that supposed ta mean?"   
  
"Watch your tongue child." Tento said. He was one of the guards who weren't like a regular guard. They had the responsibility of protecting the Elders personally.   
  
Katie ignored him, not feeling like fighting with him today. "I come here to get answers from you all and this is the kind of lame answer you give me?"  
  
"The Elders do not give out lame answers Katie. It's just that you cannot understand it." Tento said. This time Katie's temper got the better of her. She turned on him and gave him a glare that even Maguyser would have been afraid of.   
  
The eldest Elder waved Tento off and looked sternly at Katie. "We understand that you are frustrated at the moment. We also understand that you have been having strange feelings coming back." Katie looked at him with a shocked expression. Her anger subsiding.   
  
"How did you know about those? I haven't told anyone about those."   
  
This time the third Elder spoke, "We are connected to you Katie. We feel everything you feel."   
  
"What you have been experiencing is your old instincts coming alive again. Something or someone has triggered them." The fourth Elder added.   
  
"Reann." Katie whispered, almost not believing it.   
  
All five nodded. "Yes, her appearance and the fact that Maguyser is still alive has awakened them." The fifth Elder replied.   
  
Katie was quiet as she chewed on her bottom lip. Digesting everything she had just heard. "What will happen to me if they awaken fully again? Will I become what I once was?"  
  
None of the Elders answered her. All were silent as they looked at her. "Well?! What will happen?!" She shouted at them.   
  
"You don't need to know that at the moment. All you need to know is what we have told you." The second Elder who was usually quiet answered her.   
  
Katie shook her head and smirked. "I can't believe you all." She then reached to her neck where she wore her guardian medallion and yanked it off. "When you guys can give me a straight answer, you know where I'll be." She said angrily and threw the necklace at their feet before she turned and disappeared. The Elders sighed and looked at each other.   
  
"It has begun." The Eldest said as he looked at the others.  
  
~~~****~~~****~~~****  
  
The ronins had finished their game of tackle football and had now come inside. It was late afternoon and dinner was soon. Everyone had found a seat in the living room and Ryo had the remote. He absently flipped through the channels. All of a sudden Katie was in the living room with them and not looking too happy.   
  
"Where have you been?" Ryo asked her as he kept his head pointed in the direction of the T.V.   
  
She smirked, "Known of your damn business."   
  
Ryo turned around and looked at her. Completely taken back by her statement. "Ok, who are you and what have you done with my sister?"   
  
She sighed and sat down next to Sage. "Sorry, I'm jus not in a very good mood today I guess."   
  
"I guess not." Kaye said as she looked at her. "What the Elders have to say?"   
  
"Elders?" Rowen asked, joining in on the conversation.  
  
"What did you go and see them about?" Sage asked as he put an arm around her shoulders.   
  
"I had a little problem. They basically didn't tell me anything."  
  
"Oh, I see. Hey Katie are we still on for the double date tonight?" Kaye asked as she smiled at her.  
  
Katie nodded, "Si, you know that."   
  
"Whoa, hold up. Double date?" Kento asked as he put his hands up in the air.   
  
"Yea, double date Kento. You, Katie Sage and me are all going to go out tonight." Kaye answered as she smiled at him.   
  
"Is that so, and when were you two going to tell us?" Sage asked.  
  
"When it was time to go." Katie said and looked up at Sage.   
  
Kaye laughed some, "Yea, what she said." She then got up and headed for her bedroom. "You guys better get ready. We're leaving in about a half-hour with or without you."  
  
Katie laughed and got up to go to her room. Ryo looked at Sage and gave him a look that said touch-her-in-any-sexual-way-and-I'll-kill-you. Sage sweat dropped then got up to get ready. Kento laughed some at Ryo's behavior and then got up himself.   
  
Half an hour later all four of them were ready, had gotten in the car and left. Kaye was driving them to a place she knew about. A little later they were parked and heading inside. The place was nice. Deciding to dine outside on such a beautiful night they walked outside to the patio. There they chose a seat and all sat down. A waiter came over and took their orders. The moon was just coming up and the sun going down. There were candles set up around on the railing around the patio and a candle on every table. Japanese lanterns hung from a line that went around the outside of the patio.   
  
Kento sat next to Kaye with his arm around the back of her chair. Sage sat next to Katie with his arm around her shoulders. The warning he got from Ryo came back and he chuckled some to himself. Katie looked up at him. A puzzled look on her face. "What's so funny?"   
  
Sage smiled some and looked at her. "Oh I was just remembering the warning I got from your hot head brother."   
  
"Oh, what was that?" Kaye asked, now interested in the conversation.   
  
"You shoulda seen it Kaye. He gave him this look that said basically touch my sis in any sexual way and I'll kill ya. Then he just turned back to watching T.V." Kento said as he laughed some.   
  
Katie turned beat red and covered her mouth with her hand to keep from busting out laughing. Sage chuckled some and took a drink of his drink. Kaye shook her head and leaned her head against Kento's shoulder. "I don't know about your brother sometimes, Katie."   
  
"Neither do I." Katie replied as she intertwined her fingers with Sage's. She looked up at him and smiled. "Well, you gonna heed to his warning?"   
  
Sage smiled and leaned in close to her ear, whispering something in it. Katie smiled and looked at him when he was done. "Oh he so not going to like you if you do that."   
  
Sage just shook his head and kissed her. "I could care less. I think you're a big girl. You can take care of yourself."  
  
Kento raised one eyebrow in Sage's direction, "What did you say to her, Sage?"   
  
"Kento come on, obviously it's something he didn't want us to hear. Am I right?"   
  
Kento chuckled and leaned in close to Kaye's ear, whispering something to her. Kaye turned beat red and looked at him. Kento just smiled and kissed her. Katie laughed some at her face and Sage shook his head.   
  
"I don't even think I wanna know what you said Kento." Katie said as she looked around at the people who were there. A shadow darted from behind a tree and she became alert. She stood up from her seat. Her body becoming ridged as she could feel the evil presence. Sage, Kaye and Kento looked up at her.  
  
"Katie?" Kaye said as she too stood up. "Is it who I think it is?"  
  
Throwing stars came out of no where and they all had to dodge them. Katie caught two as they came at her. People screamed and started running away from them. Katie and Kaye's senses became more alert. Kento and Sage stood up and scanned the area. Katie's eyes darted around, searching for the danger. A slender figure stepped out of the shadows. Her black hair blowing in the wind. Brown eyes twinkled with the same excitement Katie remembered.   
  
"Reann." Katie said as she glared at her. A power and instinct she had long since forgotten came alive. Clawing to get out.   
  
"What is she doing here?" Sage asked as he looked at her.   
  
"Is that the chick that did that to you Kaye?" Kento asked, not bothering to hide the anger in his voice. Kaye nodded slowly, remember sailing through the air and then impacting with the wall.   
  
Reann laughed and then looked over at Kaye. "I'm surprised you even lived through that, Dream Walker."   
  
Kaye glared at her, "Yea, why wouldn't I have?"   
  
Reann shrugged, "I just didn't think you were that strong."  
  
"Why you little shrew. Your gonna pay for that insult" Kento yelled angrily at her.   
  
Reann seemed unfazed by his threat. "Why don't you all save me a lot of trouble and just give up? I'm only after one person in particular." She said as her cold brown eyes rested on Katie.   
  
Sage stood in front of her, "You'll have to get through us to get to her."   
  
"Brave talk for a little man." Reann smirked at him.   
  
"What do you want Reann?" Katie asked her.   
  
"It's not what I want, but what master Maguyser wants." She answered.   
  
Katie smirked, "So your still taking orders from him? Didn't I teach you anything Reann?"   
  
"Enough talk, I have orders I have to follow through with." She came at Sage with lightning fast moves. He barely managed to dodge them, but his luck ran out as she caught him of guard with a punch to the head that sent flying backwards hitting a few tables.   
  
"Sage!" Kento yelled to him. "Your gonna pay for that!" He came at her, but was soon joining Sage.   
  
"Kento!" Kaye shouted. She then turned back to Reann and glared at her. "Let's go." She said as she took a fighting pose.  
  
"Fine with me." Reann them came at her. Kaye dodged and blocked most of the attacks she came at her with, but like the others her luck ran out. Reann caught her off guard and grabbed her from behind. Pulling her arm behind her back and grabbing her neck.  
  
"Kaye! Let her go!" Katie shouted at her.   
  
Reann laughed. "Don't tell me you've gone soft, Katie."   
  
"Reann, I'll tell you for the last time to let her go." Katie said in a low and dangerous voice. Reann blinked at her and then smiled. Sage and Kento got up slowly from where they had landed.   
  
"What's it gonna be Katie? You gonna come quietly or will you lose your friend here?" She asked her.   
  
Katie growled and looked at Kaye. She then looked over at Sage and Kento. What am I gonna do? If I give up then I know what will happen. Either way they'll be doomed. There's only one choice. She sighed and put her hands up. "I surrender Reann. Let Kaye go."   
  
"No, Katie you can't!" Kaye yelled at her. "Forget about me. Just get her!" She pleaded with her.   
  
"I can't. I can't take that chance and have you get hurt Kaye. I won't.... I'm sorry." Katie said as she looked at her. Reann let her go and walked over to Katie.  
  
"You made the right choice. Soon you won't remember who they are. Once again we will be an unstoppable team." She said and smiled.  
  
"No! Katie don't give up like that. Fight her!" Sage said as he held his side.  
  
"I'm sorry. You guys have to promise me something though." She looked at all of them as tears came to her eyes. "You have to promise me that you'll kill me if we have to do battle."  
  
"No! Katie I won't do it!" Kaye said.   
  
"You have to! Its either that or I'll kill you!" Katie said.  
  
"Enough with the touching moment. Let's go." Reann said. Before they disappeared Katie mouthed I love you to Sage and then was gone.   
  
"No!" Kaye said as she fell to the ground. "This isn't happening. This is so not happening. Why not just take me?!"   
  
Sage stared at the spot where Katie had been and tried not to cry. Turning from it he said, "We'd better get back and tell the others."   
  
Kento nodded and helped Kaye up. "Come on, we'll get her back." He then helped her to the car with Sage following behind him.   
  
~~~****~~~****~~~****  
  
Katie walked slowly into the throne room with Reann behind her. Sitting at the throne was the one person she never wanted to see again. Reann stopped and bowed to the cloaked figure.   
  
"So I see that you have succeeded. You have done a very good job Reann. You shall be rewarded nicely." The cloaked figure rasped out.  
  
"What do you want with me Maguyser?! Another slave to do your biding?!" Katie shouted at him.   
  
He merely laughed. "My, my you still have that fighter's spirit. If you're upset about your friend well don't worry. Soon she shall be under my control as well."   
  
"No." Katie whispered as she stared at him.  
  
"Oh yes, I will rein over this world and all worlds. Just like I was supposed to. You and your little friend will help me do that too. You were always meant to create chaos and fear in this world, Katie. I don't know what those little Elders have filled your mind with, but it was all lies. You know what I say is true too. You can feel it." He said as he slowly walked around her.  
  
She shook her head, "Your wrong! I was to save this world and protect the people of it from people like you! Tenshu showed me that when he sacrificed his life for mine. I am a symbol of good, not evil."  
  
"Think what you want, but you belong to me now. The Elders have no control over you now that you have given up your medallion. You will belong to me again and this world shall be mine."  
  
Katie could do nothing but think of how much of a fool she was for giving up her medallion. The only thing that could have saved her. The one thing she needed she had given up. 


	5. Ch 5

Emotions VS Power  
  
Ch 5  
  
"Hey, how did..?" Rowen started to ask as Kento, Kaye and Sage came inside. Right away Rowen could tell that something was definitely up, he was about to ask another question, but just then Ryo came into the room.  
  
"You guys are back early, hey wait a sec, where's Katie?" Ryo asked in confusion. Sage, Kento and Kaye stiffened as Ryo asked his question. They weren't sure on how to tell him that Katie went back with Reann to be back with Maguyser, let alone that he was still alive, heck, they couldn't even believe it. But in some way, Kaye knew that he didn't die during that last battle with them.  
  
"Ryo, Rowen, would you get Cye and Mia, we'll be there in a minute." Kento said as he gave them a look that said he meant business.  
  
Ryo and Rowen gave each other a quick confused glance, they've never seen Kento be this serious before. So they knew that it had to be something major to take this kind of take charge type of attitude. So they quickly went to find Cye and Mia and then waited for the others to join them. "Ok, Kento, are you going to tell us what's all of this about?" Mia asked as they walked in.  
  
"Everything was going just great, until someone decided to crash the party." Kento began to explain.  
  
"What, who Kento?" Ryo asked as he was starting to get alarmed.  
  
"The same person that broke in here a few weeks ago." Sage replied with a quiet tone.  
  
"You mean, Reann?" Mia asked.  
  
"Yea, that's her." Kento replied with a nod.  
  
"Ok, we know the who, but we still don't know what happened." Cye said as he glanced at Kaye, she was being so quiet, and he was starting to get concerned about it.  
  
"When Reann crashed our night out, she said that she was there for one person, and one person only." Sage replied while keeping that quiet tone.  
  
"You mean that Reann was after my sister!?" Ryo asked as his anger started to rise.  
  
"Yea, she was. She put up one heck of a fight. She punched Sage so hard that he flew back into a few tables. Then I went at her, but I flew back too. That left only Kaye and Katie to fight Reann. Kaye seemed to be handling herself ok, but then with a blink of an eye, Reann was holding Kaye in some kind of submission hold with one hand, while she held her neck with the other." Kento replied as a flicker of anger went off in his eyes.  
  
"It looked like Reann was using Kaye as some kind of bargaining chip. Katie told Reann to let her go, but she wouldn't unless Katie went with her. Then Kaye told her to don't do it, but then you know how stubborn Katie can be, she gave herself up to Reann, and then they disappeared." Sage said as he finished the story.  
  
"She shouldn't have gone with her. She shouldn't have gone." Kaye said in a whisper as she finally spoke.  
  
"Kaye, Reann was going to kill you. Katie saved your life." Kento replied as he was trying to comfort her.  
  
"At what price, Kento? Was my life that important for Katie just to give up and go with her," Kaye asked as she quickly stood up and walked over to the landing as she laid her hand onto the banister. "Maybe, maybe Reann was right, maybe I'm not strong enough."  
  
"Kento, what's she talking about?" Cye asked in confusion.  
  
"Reann seemed a little surprised to see that Kaye was up and around from the kick that she gave her that landed Kaye right into the wall," Kento replied. "And then Kaye asked why shouldn't she be? Then Reann replied by telling her that she didn't think that she was actually that strong."  
  
"Kaye, don't let Reann's words start making you doubt yourself. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for." Cye said as he walked over to her and put his hand onto her shoulder.  
  
"Cye, if that's true, then why couldn't I stop her?" Kaye asked as she was clutching onto the railing so hard that her knuckles were starting to turn white.  
  
"If you didn't notice, Kaye, Sage and I had heck of a hard time with her too, remember." Kento replied.  
  
"And besides, I have a feeling that there's something else that you haven't told us since the day that you, Katie and Mia came back from that shopping trip a few weeks back." Rowen said in a matter of fact type of tone.  
  
"Kaye, please, tell us what's going on. We can help you." Cye replied as he squeezed her shoulder.  
  
"I don't think that anyone can help me with this." Kaye said as she avoided eye contact with him.  
  
"Try us." Ryo replied in a challenging type of tone.  
  
Kaye took a deep breath before beginning, "ok, you guys remember the last battle that we had with Maguyser?" Kaye asked as she slowly turned around to face them.  
  
"How could we forget?" Sage asked.  
  
"Well, during that battle, I had to use Dragon's song twice. The first time was to get Katie back from Maguyser's control, and the second time was against Maguyser himself." Kaye replied as she continued her story.  
  
"Go on, we're with you so far." Rowen said as he was trying to keep her going.  
  
"Well, ever since that battle was over, I've been seeing images flashing in my mind of what Maguyser was doing to his victims. The flashes are not as bad as they were a few weeks ago. Anyway, it was like I was right there standing, watching all of the pain and suffering that he kept on inflicting on his prisoners, and I couldn't do anything about it. And I had this feeling that he knew I was there the whole time. They felt so real, I could feel their pain and suffering, I could hear their voices cry out for him to stop. I...I," Kaye replied quietly. "I can feel him in my head, he's there when I sleep, he's there when I'm awake. It's like I can't get rid of him, and he knows...he...knows."  
  
"Kaye, it'll be all right. You'll see." Kento said as he walked over to Kaye, and pulled her into his embrace as he was trying to comfort her.  
  
In Maguyser's lair...  
  
"So the Dream Walker has finally told them. It doesn't matter, they can't help her." Maguyser said in slight amusement.  
  
"What are you talking about? Kaye, told them about what?" Katie asked.  
  
"You weren't the only one that was keeping something from your friends. You see, the battle that we had the last time that we met. Do you remember the Dream Walker using a technique called Dragon's song?" Maguyser asked.  
  
"Yea, so what about it?" Katie asked back.  
  
"Let's just say that when she used it, that certain I guess that they can be called side effects are taking place; from using such a powerful technique that she wasn't yet familiar with." Maguyser replied with a smirk.  
  
"So, is this how you claim that you'll get control over her?" Katie asked as she narrowed her eyes in anger.  
  
"You have gotten even more clever since the last time that we met, but first before I can start the controlling process, she needs to be here. I can't very well do it while she's with those annoying Ronins." Maguyser replied.  
  
"You can just forget about that, because there's no way that they would allow you or Reann to get even ten feet of her, before they start kicking your faces in," Katie said hotly. "They remember what you did, and knowing them, they'll be more than happy to kick your ass!"  
  
"You know that fighting spirit of yours is starting to get really annoying." Reann replied.  
  
"Oh really, and what are you going to do about it?" Katie asked in a challenging tone.  
  
"I'll be more than happy to cram that so called fighting spirit down your throat." Reann replied hotly as she was about to attack her.  
  
"Reann! That's enough! I already told you once that I need her alive and in one piece. I don't need you to start having your temper controlling you. Do I need to remind you of your place?" Maguyser asked as he glared at her.  
  
"No, master, there's no need." Reann replied as she bowed and walked away.  
  
"Even though I've enjoyed our little chat, there are a few things that have came to my attention that I need to take care of.   
  
Now, be a good girl, and try not to go anywhere, I'll be back later." Maguyser said as he disappeared down the hall.  
  
"Why that pompas, overbearing, we'll see about who's telling who about being able to go anywhere," Katie thought in anger as she snapped her fingers and tried to teleport. She looked around and noticed that she was still in the same place, Katie tried again, and still no luck. "This is just great, it looks like Maguyser has somehow blocked my ability to teleport. Damn him!"  
  
At the same time, Sage decided to go into the woods and meditate. He needed to try to clear his head and get control over his emotions. He also thought that maybe he could try and find Katie, so he closed his eyes and started to meditate. "Come on Katie, where are you?" Sage thought.  
  
"Sage." a voice said in his head.  
  
"Katie," Sage replied as a sudden feeling of hope surged through him. "Katie, tell me where you are, Katie?"   
  
No answer, Sage opened his eyes and looked around. He knew that he heard Katie's voice, "at least I know that she's ok."   
  
Sage thought as he got up and headed back to the manor. As he was heading back, he saw that Kaye was going really hard at the punching bag. He stopped and watched her, he could tell that she was trying to get out all of her anger and frustration.   
  
Sage was about to say something, "Kaye." Ryo said as he walked over to her.   
  
"Ryo." Kaye replied as she continued to go at the bag.   
  
"Kaye, would you stop for a minute, I want to talk with you?" Ryo asked as he was about to move closer to the bag.  
  
"If I were you Ryo, I wouldn't be coming any closer," Kaye replied as she went at the bag even harder, making it swing faster and faster. "If you wanna talk, then talk, otherwise, leave me alone."  
  
"It's kind of hard to talk to you when you have that punching bag swinging like that." Ryo replied as he ducked out of the way of the oncoming bag.  
  
"Then you don't really wanna talk." Kaye said as side armed the bag, making it swing high as it hit a few low branches.  
  
"That's enough Kaye, you're going to hurt yourself if you don't calm down and stop going at the bag like this." Ryo replied as he kicked the bag out of her path.  
  
Kaye turned around and faced him, sweat pouring down her face, breathing hard, "what did you do that for?" Kaye asked in annoyance.  
  
"I said that I wanted to talk with you. Now, would you please come and talk with me?" Ryo asked as he looked towards her.  
  
Kaye's anger started to subside, "alright, you wanna talk, let's talk." Kaye replied with a smirk.  
  
"Whoa, talk about a quick attitude change." Sage thought as he continued to watch them.  
  
"You know, Sage, if you wanted to join us, all you had to do was ask." Kaye said as she took a quick glance over at him.  
  
"How..?" Sage started to ask.  
  
"How did I know that you were there when Ryo and I were talking?" Kaye asked back.  
  
"Yea." Sage replied as he walked over to them.  
  
Kaye gave a small chuckle, "easy, I saw a glimpse of you when Ryo kicked the bag out of my path." Kaye said with a small smile.  
  
"Mind if we go inside and talk, it's starting to get really cold out here." Ryo said as he lead them to the door.  
  
"Sure that's fine, if you guys don't mind. I wanna take a quick shower and change before we start talking, that is if it's ok by you." Kaye replied as she went inside.  
  
"Sure, go ahead. Hey Sage, are you coming?" Ryo asked as Kaye went inside.  
  
"Huh, yea Ryo, I'm coming." Sage replied as he started to walk past him.   
  
Ryo put his hand on Sage's shoulder, "Sage, about earlier, I..." Ryo started to say.  
  
"I know, Ryo, you were just playing out the role of the older brother. Hey, I would have done the same thing, I have sisters too, remember." Sage replied with a small smirk. Ryo gave a small smile back, and then the two went inside.  
  
Elsewhere...  
  
*It's been a long time, Lightning.* the first elder said telepathically as Lightning appeared before them.  
  
*Yes, it definitely has been a long time, old friend. So then needless to say, you know why I'm here.* Lightning replied.  
  
*The attack on your young charge wasn't your fault. It was just a matter of wrong place, wrong time.* the second elder said.  
  
*Yes, I know that now, but I still feel like I could have done more.* Lightning replied.  
  
*You've done all that you could, have more faith in your Dream Walker. Besides, Reann is definitely an adversary to watch out for, she's very ruthless, and will do anything to do what's needed to get the job done, no matter what the cost.* the fourth elder said.  
  
*What's going on? I can sense something extremely evil in the air. Elders, can you tell me what it is?* Lightning asked as the tiger looked at them.  
  
*I'm sorry, old friend, but that we cannot do.* the third elder replied.  
  
*But why?* Lightning asked.  
  
*Because it has already begun.* the first elder said.  
  
*What has begun? You're being too vague.* Lightning asked.  
  
*I'm sorry, but it's time for you to leave.* the second elder replied.  
  
*You're avoiding the question. What has begun!?* Lightning asked as the tiger was starting to lose his patients. 


	6. ch 6

Emotions Vs Power  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Ryo and Sage sat in the living room waiting for Kaye to get done with her shower. Finally after what seemed like an eternity she walked into the living room. Having taken a shower and changed she sighed and slowly walked into the living room, taking a seat across from the two ronins.   
  
"Ok, guys. What do you want?" Kaye asked as she looked at them.  
  
"I was just wondering what kind of visions you have. You say you have visions of what Maguyser has done, well have you had any visions of anything else?" Ryo asked her.   
  
Kaye thought about it for a minute before she answered him. "No, that's all I've had so far. Its like I said, the visions have been slowly becoming less and less. Hopefully they'll go away completely."  
  
"Did you see anything in your visions that could tell us where he is and or where he has Katie?" Sage asked, coming into the conversation.  
  
Kaye looked at him, "Ahhh...." She said as she thought about it for a minute. "Not really. I really can't make out a lot of it, ya know. Its like a million pictures and words all jumbled together, kinda like a jigsaw puzzle. It takes a while for them to come into place."  
  
Sage nodded, understanding what she was saying. Silence fell over the three as no one had anything else to say or didn't know what too, say. Ryo stood finally after a while.   
  
"I'm going to go for a walk. Be back in while." He said as he walked out the door.  
  
"Umm... if that's all you have to ask me Sage, I'd like to go to bed." Kaye said as she got up.  
  
Sage nodded, "Yea that's it. Thanks Kaye."  
  
Kaye nodded and walked up the stairs to her room. Sage sat where he was for a while, so many things were on his mind. How were they going to get Katie back? Was she ok? Were they in danger with her back with Maguyser? Would they have to fight her? The thing Katie had said to him before she was taken away came back to him. "You have to! Its either that or I'll kill you!" Those words haunted him. It was as if she knew what was going to happen to her before it did. Like she knew he was going to turn her again and that she would have to fight them. Fight them? Would she really fight them? He thought about that for a moment before he got up and walked outside. The cool night air hit him as he walked out on the porch. How things could go from perfect to horribly bad he couldn't quiet grasp. He sighed and rested his arms on the porch railing and looked out at the night sky. "I'll find you Katie. Wherever you are." He said more to himself then to anyone.   
  
~~~***~~~***~~~***  
  
Katie sat alone in the throne room. Maguyser had left her alone a long time ago, saying that he had something he had to take care of. She rubbed her arms as a chill ran up her spine. She didn't like being here. Too many dangerous thoughts and feelings were trying to resurface. It was taking most of her strength to try and keep them under control. Strength that she couldn't bare to spare since she had given up her medallion. The medallion? She gently touched her neck where her medallion would have been. Now there was nothing but flesh. Nothing.   
  
The Elders? Maybe she could get a connection with them. She hadn't tried that. She reached out mentally, searching for them. Just when she thought she couldn't find them or anything a silent promise of words flowed through her mind. It was Sage. His silent promise had gotten to her. She had heard his declaration.   
  
"At least they haven't given up on me yet." She said out loud to herself.  
  
"Why don't you just give up? Let your instincts take over again?" A voice asked her.   
  
She eyed the room, "Because maybe I don't want to. I don't want to go back to what I once was."  
  
Reann slowly walked over to her and kneeled beside her. "You had so much power. You were everything I wish I could be. Do you really want to just give all that up?"  
  
"Reann, let me ask you something. Do you like who you are? Do you like taking orders from someone? Being someone's little slave, running here and there doing what he says? Well, I didn't. I don't take orders from anyone." She stopped and had to regain her composure. It was definitely getting harder to stay in control.   
  
Reann blinked at her, "Getting harder isn't it?" She looked away form Katie. "I learned a lot from you, Katie. I looked up to you. You were like my sister. You were, are my only family. I don't like taking orders from him either." She looked back over to her and whispered. "That's why I need you to help me over throw him. Together we can take him down."  
  
Katie didn't know what to say. She wanted to finally be done with Maguyser, but what she was suggesting sounded too much like something out of a bad horror movie. "We can be the unstoppable team once again. Together you and me will rule the worlds. Why should he be able to? What has he ever done? We're the backbone of his so-called little fantasy. Without us, he wouldn't be able to do it."  
  
"Reann, no. I won't..."  
  
"You won't, or can't? I know you want to see Maguyser dead as much as I do. Why not help me?"  
  
"Reann I don't want to rule worlds. I want to protect them. What your suggesting goes against my code as a Guar...." She stopped before she could continue with her sentence.   
  
Reann smirked some, "Guardian? Is that what you were going to say? You gave that up when you threw the medallion back at them. You are no longer one of them."  
  
Katie looked away from her. She was right. Of course she was, why wouldn't she be? She was no longer a Guardian, right? No, she still had her powers, some of them. She couldn't listen to her anymore.   
  
"Think about it Katie. You and me. No one could stand in our way. Please, come back." Reann pleaded.   
  
"No, I can't Reann. I won't give up what I've worked so hard to obtain. Not now." Katie said sternly as she looked at her.   
  
Reann slowly got up and started to walk away. "You will. It won't be much longer until you have come back to the side you were meant to be on." She said as she walked out of the throne room.  
  
Katie was once again left alone with feelings and powers crawling; pacing to get out. She had only so much longer before she let go and did go back to who she once was.  
  
~~~~**** ~~~~**** ~~~~****   
  
Ryo walked silently through the forest on his way back to the mansion. White Blaze walked at his side. The walk had helped some. Taking some things off his mind. He walked through and into the clearing, crossing the backyard and heading for the door. He could hear talking and some laughter inside. He smiled to himself. At least some of them could still keep their spirits up.  
  
He opened the door and walked into the house, White Blaze coming in behind him. In the living room he could see Kento, Cye, Rowen and Mia all sitting around the T.V. watching something. He came in and sat down.   
  
"Hey Ryo, you feel better now?" Mia asked him.   
  
Ryo nodded some, "Yea, it helped some."  
  
"That's good." Mia said and smiled.  
  
Sage came in just then and sat down next to Rowen on the couch. As quite as he usually was he was being even more quite. Everyone knew why and decided not to say anything to him. Rowen was going to say something but before he could a loud crash and a clap of thunder stopped him. Kaye came down the stairs and into the living room.   
  
"What was that?" She asked.  
  
"I want to say it was just lightning and thunder but something tells me it wasn't." Kento said as he got up from where he was sitting.   
  
White Blaze sat up and started to growl. Ryo looked down at him and frowned. "What is it boy? You sense something?"   
  
Laughter could be heard as a slender figure stepped into the room. "Smart cat you got there, Wildfire."   
  
Kento glared at her, "Its you."  
  
"Where's Katie?!" Kaye shouted at her.  
  
"I wouldn't be worried about her. She's just fine. I would be more worried about yourself if I were you, Dream Walker." Reann said and smirked.  
  
"If you or your master have hurt one hair on her head I swear I'll..." Ryo started.  
  
"You'll what? Hurt me?" She laughed, thinking that was funny. "I think you should save your idle threats for someone else." She then looked over at Sage. "Now, now what's with the sad face?" She laughed some. "Sorry I had to take your little play toy away from you."   
  
"Why you little..." Sage said as he lunged for her.  
  
"Sage!" Rowen shouted at him as he and Cye grabbed either one of his arms.  
  
"Hey! Calm down, Mate. Hurting her isn't going to accomplish anything." Cye said. Sage growled as a response, but did nothing.   
  
Ryo turned to Reann, anger evident on his face. "What do you want?"  
  
Reann smiled, "Oh, I just wanted to drop in and see how all of you were. Ya know it gets kinda boring in that place." No one seemed to be amused by her answer. She smirked, "Huh, tough crowd. Well, anyway here's the thing. Katie is alive, although soon she won't be on your side anymore. Without her medallion she's loosing control and fast. When she does finally come back to reality then I'll be coming back for you." She said as she pointed at Kaye.   
  
Kento stood in front of her, "Like hell you will."  
  
Reann smirked, "Always gotta be the hard one don't you, Hardrock?" Kento smirked at her for an answer. "Well, that's all I wanted to tell you all. Have a nice night." She said and was gone.  
  
"That was weird." Rowen commented.  
  
"Yes, it was." Cye said.  
  
"Just who does she think she is?" Sage said as he shook Rowen and Cye's grip off him.   
  
"I don't know, Sage, but she has a lot of guts. I'll give her that." Ryo said and sat back down.   
  
"Medallion?" Mia said to herself as she pondered what she had told her. "If she means that necklace Katie always wears then she never takes that off...."  
  
"You don't think?" Kaye added. "Sage, when Katie came back from the Elders did you notice if she was wearing her necklace or not?"  
  
Sage thought about that for a minute before he answered. "I don't remember."  
  
"No, she wasn't wearing it." Ryo spoke up.   
  
"Then...." Kaye started.   
  
"She must have gotten mad at them or something and taken it off. The Elders must have her medallion." Mia finished for her.  
  
"That's all nice and everything, but how are we supposed to get it and get it to her?" Kento asked.  
  
"Good question, Kento." Rowen said.   
  
"If Lightning were here I could have him teleport us there." Kaye said with a hint of sadness in her voice.   
  
"Even if Lightning were still here I wouldn't let you do it." Kento said. "Not after what you told us has been going on."   
  
"Kento." Kaye protested. "I'm just fine."  
  
"He has a point Kaye." Cye said.   
  
"Cye."  
  
"Ok, well if we can't use Lightning then we'll have to think up another plan." Rowen added.  
  
"What about trying to contact them, the Elders I mean." Mia asked.   
  
Ryo shook his head, "It wouldn't work. Katie was the only one who could contact them. I don't think we would even be able to get through to them."   
  
"There has to be something we can do. We have to get that medallion back. Its Katie's only chance!" Sage said as he sat down on the couch.   
  
"Sage, buddy we know. But sometimes things just can't be done." Kento said.  
  
"Can't be done or no one wants to try?" Sage asked.   
  
Ryo walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Sage, I want my sister back just as much as you do. We're trying." Sage nodded and said nothing.   
  
"What are we going to do?" Mia said and sighed.  
  
~~~***~~~***~~~***  
  
The Elders sat at their thrones and listened to the conversation that was going on between the ronins, Mia and Kaye. "What should we do? Are we allowed to help them out?" The third Elder asked.  
  
"They are not one of our Guardians; it wouldn't be against our codes." The fifth Elder spoke up.   
  
"Yes, but we would be helping them to help out a Guardian." The second Elder said. "That would then go against our codes."  
  
"Yes, but we have done it before. We have given them information and helped them out when they needed it." The fourth Elder said.  
  
All looked over at the eldest of them. He was quite for a moment before he spoke. "It would go against our codes to help them out, but at the moment Katie is not a Guardian. There for we would be permitted to help them." He spoke. All nodded and seemed to agree with him. "With what was prophesied to happen happening, I think it would be best if we were to bring them here." He then waved his hand and summoned the ronins, Mia and Kaye to them. 


	7. ch 7

Emotions Vs Power   
  
Ch 7  
  
"What the...where are we?" Cye asked in awe as he and everyone else looked around. They found themselves standing in the center of an extremely huge temple that had white walls that seemed to be somehow glowing.   
  
A spiral stair case wined up and around them and then back down on the other side. At the top, were two windows at the opposite ends of each other that ran from the ceiling all the way to the main floor. The window on the right shown a midnight blue sky, with a silver-blue moon, three mountains that radiated the same glow as the moon. At the base of the mountains, was a waterfall that gently flowed down. The waterfall seemed to flow on an even plain and then level off to the next lower level, the land in a way kind of were acting like stairs. On both sides of the river beds were blue flowers on the two higher levels, and then on the lowest level, were white flowers that were tipped gently with red.   
  
While the window on the left shown, a navy blue color of sky that had also a silver-blue moon high in the horizon. With this scenery showed a more narrow waterfall that only had two levels instead of three like the one on the right. On either side of this waterfall were two mountain ledges. The ledge on the left had what looked like a very old tree that branched out from it. Even though the tree looked so old, it was still very strong. While the ledge on the right was the one that the waterfall was actually flowing from. Then at the bottom there were the same white flowers with the red tips that seemed to overflow the entire basin.   
  
"This is unreal." Rowen replied as he stared at the scenery wide eyed.  
  
""Of all the places I've been, I've never seen anything like this," Kaye said. "It's absolutely breath taking."  
  
"Thank you for saying so." a voice said from behind them.  
  
The Ronins, Mia and Kaye quickly turned around to see who replied to Kaye's statement. Are you the Elders?" Mia asked as the five Elders and Tento stood in front of them.  
  
"That's correct, Mia Koji." the first elder replied as he and the other four sat down.  
  
"You, know my name?" Mia asked as she was slightly taken back.  
  
"We know about all of you," the third elder replied with a slight smile. "I'm sure that the Ronins and Kaye here remember us from the last time that we met."   
  
"Hey, you're the same ones that helped us out against Maguyser and Dago." Ryo said with realization as the memories came back. The Elders nodded in response.  
  
"Then I have two questions for ya." Rowen said as he looked over at them.  
  
"Go on, what is it that you want to know?" the fifth elder asked.  
  
"First, how did we get to wherever here is, and why are we here?" Rowen asked back.  
  
"To answer your first question, Strata, we brought you here." the second elder replied.  
  
"And to your second question, you already know the answer." the first elder said.  
  
"To see if you could help us get Katie back." Rowen replied.   
  
"Correct, Strata." the fourth elder said with a small smile.  
  
"Before we get into that. Kaye of the Tiger, there's someone here that's been anxiously waiting for you." the fifth elder said as he motioned for someone to come out.   
  
"Who?" Kaye asked as she kept her eyes over to where he motioned. "Lightning!"  
  
*Kaye, you're a sight for sore eyes.* Lightning said telepathically.  
  
*Why did you leave that night? What could you have possibly been thinking? What did you think that you've could have accomplished by running away like that?* Kaye asked telepathically as she knelt down on both knees.  
  
*Whoa, whoa, take it easy, slow down with the questions. I left because it was my fault that you were hurt, I should have watched over you better. I wanted to make things right, I thought that my friends here could help me figure out how to make things right again.* Lightning replied.  
  
*You crazy tiger! You didn't have to go and do that, I don't blame you for what happened. Lightning, promise me that you won't run off like that again, promise me.* Kaye said as she looked into the tiger's eyes.  
  
*I promise.* Lightning replied as he brought his huge paw up and over her shoulder.  
  
"I like reunions as much as the next person, but we need to get back to the reason of why we're here." Sage said as Kaye stood up and walked back to the others with Lightning close in tow.  
  
"Out of curiosity, why are you helping us? I thought that you couldn't interfere, because it would go against your code." Ryo asked as he started to approach them.   
  
"That's far enough." Tento said as he got in front of Ryo.  
  
"You'll have to excuse Tento, he's not very trusting of people, especially outsiders." the second elder replied. "Tento, stand down, these people mean us no harm."   
  
"Whatever you say." Tento said as he walked back to his post.  
  
"Can you tell us why Maguyser wants Katie?" Rowen asked as he glanced over at Sage as he grew quiet again.  
  
"Unfortunately, Strata, we can't tell you why, but we can tell you that something that threatens the world has already begun." the fifth elder replied.  
  
"I'm not sure who's more vague, you five or the Ancient when he was alive." Kaye said in a matter of fact type of tone.  
  
"You will show respect towards the Elders, or I'll be forced to make you." Tento replied hotly as he glared at her.  
  
"Bring it if ya got it, big mouth." Kaye taunted with a smirk.  
  
"Why you little..." Tento replied as he was about to attack.  
  
"Tento, stand down," the fifth elder said as he and the other Elders gave a small chuckle. "It seems like the Dream Walker shows close to the same fighting spirit as Katie."  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment." Kaye replied with a smile.  
  
"That's good, because you're going to need that fighting spirit, especially for what lies ahead." the fourth elder said.  
  
"What do you mean by what lies ahead," Kento asked. "Is what Reann boasted true? When Katie turns she'll be back for Kaye?"  
  
"Yes, it's true." the first elder replied.  
  
In Maguyser's throne room...  
  
"Reann! Reann, where are you!?" Maguyser called out in anger.  
  
"Yes master, you've bellowed?" Reann asked as she bowed and then faced him.  
  
"What were you thinking when you've decided to go and "visit" those annoying Ronins?" Maguyser asked back hotly.  
  
"I...I." Reann started to say.  
  
"You...you what? I'll tell you what you did. I was about to enter into the Dream Walker's mind when you've decided to pop in on them!" Maguyser replied as he cut her off.  
  
"I'm sorry, master, I didn't know..." Reann said.  
  
"I don't recall giving you orders to go over there! Now, did I?" Maguyser replied as his eyes started to glow.  
  
"No, master, you didn't." Reann said as she stood there. Reann knew what was coming, she braced herself for the impact of Maguyser's attack. Maguyser shot out a wave of black energy towards Reann, she screamed as it hit her dead on, and then she fell to the floor clutching her side as she looked up towards him.  
  
"REANN!" Katie shouted angrily as she finally started to lose her composure.   
  
Laughter came from Maguyser and then another sound of laughter started to come from Reann. Katie looked towards them in a mixture of anger and shock. "What's the matter? Did you actually think that I actually hurt one of my best assassins?" Maguyser taunted with a smirk.  
  
"You're pathetic Katie." Reann replied as she stood up and turned around to face Katie. There wasn't a single scratch on Reann, anywhere.  
  
"Why Reann, why did you betray me like this?" Katie asked as her anger got even higher.  
  
"Why do you think? It's not like we didn't tell you before, you will be turned. And you'll serve master Maguyser right along with me." Reann replied with a smirk.  
  
"Reann, they are back from visiting with the Elders, go and retrieve the Dream Walker, and then bring her back here," Maguyser said as Reann bowed and then disappeared. "Fight it all you want, but soon you'll be back under my control."   
  
At Mia's place...  
  
"I can definitely say that didn't help what so ever." Kento said as he crossed his arms.  
  
"At least they gave us Katie's medallion back." Cye replied.  
  
"A lot of good that'll do us, especially since we can't get it to her," Sage said as he clutched onto the medallion. "They didn't even tell us where Katie could be!"  
  
"If you wanted to know where Katie is, then all you had to do was ask," Reann replied as she stood on top of the banister looking down at them. "Now Dream Walker, you're coming with me."   
  
"You want me, then come and get me." Kaye said as she grabbed Katie's medallion from Sage's hand and took off.  
  
"Kaye, come back!" Kento yelled out to her.  
  
"Why do they always insist on doing things the hard way?" Reann asked to no one in particular as she jumped from the banister and out the window taking pursuit.  
  
"Come on, we have to get to her before she gets to Kaye!" Ryo replied as he and the others ran after them.  
  
"Come out, come out wherever you are, Dream Walker." Reann taunted as she was looking around for her. Kaye stayed close to the protection of the forest. She knew that as long as Reann couldn't find her, she couldn't catch her. Even though Kaye hated the idea of hiding, she knew that she had to buy some time so the others would be there soon.  
  
"If you're waiting for your friends to show, they won't. So why don't you just come on out?" Reann asked as she was starting to get a little annoyed at this game of cat and mouse.  
  
"You wanna bet. You're not taking Kaye anywhere!" Kento replied with a glare of anger, as he and the others surrounded her in their armors.  
  
"Same song, different tune. It doesn't matter, you can try and protect her all you want, but in the end, she's coming with me," Reann said with a smirk. "Dream Walker! Come out, or are you going to stay hidden and watch me as I kill off your friends one by one, starting with your boyfriend!"  
  
"Kaye, whatever happens, don't answer her! Stay where you are!" Kento yelled out as he got ready to fight.  
  
"Kento, no!" Kaye whispered.   
  
Just as Kaye was about to run out there, "hello Dream Walker, it's good to see you again." Maguyser said as he faced her with a cruel smile and glowing eyes. 


	8. ch 8

﻿  
  
Emotions Vs Power  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Ok we don't own any of the ronins or Mia so don't sue us. ^_^ Oh yea and I own Katie, Maguyser, Reann and the Elders. Rouge owns Kaye and Lightning ah.... I think that's it. Ok well here's chap 8. ~kitty  
  
~~~***~~~~~****  
  
Kaye gasped and took a couple of steps back away from him. Maguyser seemed amused by her actions and merely laughed. Not even bothering to move towards her. "I believe you have something that I want." He said.   
  
"Something you want?" Kaye repeated, not understanding what he was meaning.   
  
"Yes, you have something that belongs to a certain warrior of mine and I would like it." He said as he reached out his hand towards her.   
  
"No, you're never going to get this!" Kaye shouted at him as she clutched the medallion tighter in her hand.   
  
Maguyser laughed at her actions, "You know what, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You do have a very strong fighter's spirit. Unfortunately for you, you didn't learn anything from my warrior. That kind of a fighter's spirit will only get you into trouble."  
  
"Your warrior? Katie doesn't belong to you! And neither do I!" Kaye shouted angrily at him.   
  
"Oh, but I think your wrong. You see she does and soon you will too." He said as he advanced towards her, closing in the gap that had come between them.   
  
"No, I will never belong to you and we will get Katie back." Kaye said as she continued to back away from him and out into the open.  
  
"Kaye!" Kento shouted.  
  
"Oh please." Reann said as she hit a point on his neck, knocking him unconscious. "Mushy moments really do annoy me."  
  
"Kento!" Ryo and Cye shouted.  
  
"So what will it be Dream Walker? Are you going to give me that medallion or will I have to make you?" Maguyser taunted.   
  
"Like I said before, you're never going to get this." Kaye said as she glared at him.   
  
"Have it your way. Reann if you would please."   
  
"No problem." She said as she advanced towards the ronins. The ronins all took fighting stances and got ready for what they hoped wouldn't turn out to be ugly. With one member of their team down, they weren't as strong as they could be. Reann kept walking towards them with a very smug look on her face. "Now lets see. I've already taken out your boyfriend now how about you?" She said as she pointed at Cye.   
  
Kaye said nothing as she watched her. "No? Ok then how about you?" She said again as she this time pointed at Rowen. Kaye again said nothing, but watched. "Hmm.... well let's see you must be Katie's brother, right?" She asked as she looked at Ryo.   
  
Ryo smirked, "What's it to ya?"  
  
"Yea, you're her brother. That hotheaded temper must run in the family." Reann said.  
  
"Why you.." Ryo said as he tried to get at her.   
  
"Ryo! Chill man." Sage said as he held onto the ronin leader.   
  
Reann laughed at his actions, "You should listen to him. If you wanna live to see another day that is."  
  
"Reann." Maguyser warned.   
  
"OK, well I can't jus pick one so why not jus do all at the same time? I like that idea." Reann said as she readied herself to attack them. "Now what would work best for you all? Slow and painful or quick and painless?"   
  
"How 'bout neither and we call it a draw?" Rowen asked.   
  
"Slow and painful it is then." Reann said. She then quickly closed the gap in between them and attacked them. Within minutes she had them all on the ground almost dead. Kaye watched from the sidelines and wished she could help them. "Now then...." She said as she picked Cye up by the throat with one hand. "Any last wishes?" She asked as she began to choke him.   
  
"NO! STOP IT!" Kaye yelled at her.   
  
Maguyser waved his hand at Reann and she dropped a gasping Cye to the ground. "Well now, are you going to give us the medallion now or do I let her continue?"   
  
Kaye wavered for a minute and then finally admitted defeat, "Ok, you win. Here." She said as she tossed the medallion at him. Maguyser's eyes gleamed as he looked at the medallion in his hands. "You did the right thing."   
  
"No, Kaye how could you?" Ryo said weakly as he got up.  
  
"I'm sorry Ryo." Kaye said.   
  
"Yea, yea and she regrets doing it. We all know how it goes." Reann said as she rolled her eyes.   
  
"Reann make yourself useful and get the Dream Walker. Let's get out of here. I have something to take care of." Maguyser said and disappeared.   
  
"Sure thing." Reann said as she grabbed Kaye and was gone.   
  
"Kaye!" Cye shouted. "This is just great. Now we've lost them both."   
  
"Yea, and the fun doesn't stop there. Now Maguyser has my sister's medallion." Ryo said as he got to his feet.   
  
"I think we're going to need a plan guys." Rowen said as he and Cye got Kento to his feet and began to walk back towards the house.  
  
~~~~~~~~****** ~~~~~~~~****** ~~~~~~~~****** ~~~~~~~~******   
  
Maguyser returned to the throne room where he had left Katie while Reann went to go and put Kaye somewhere safe. Katie was sitting on the floor and not looking to good. Maguyser smirked to himself and walked over to her. Katie looked up at him and glared.   
  
"Get lost." She said in a very weak voice.  
  
"Aw, what's the matter Guardian? Is it getting to the point of where it's starting to hurt to stay in control? Well it's almost time now. You see this?" He said as held her medallion in front of her. "This won't help you now. And very soon what little bit of energy you're surviving on will be gone." He said as he started to laugh.   
  
"Kaye has been taken care of sir." Reann said as she appeared in the throne room.   
  
"Good. You see, this time you won't win. I will rein over this world and every other world forever!" He said as he began to laugh again.  
  
"You will never win. My brother and the ronins will stop you.... even if I do turn." Katie got out before she collapsed on the throne room floor.   
  
Reann went to her side and checked to make sure she was still breathing. "Is she ok?"   
  
"Yes, foolish child she is fine. The last of her energy is gone and her powers are slowly taking over again. When she awakes she will be under my control once again. Nothing will stop me this time." He said as he once again started to laugh.   
  
~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~****   
  
"Elders it is happening isn't it?" Tento asked as he watched the events unfold before his eyes.  
  
"Yes, Tento and unless we do something we will lose everything." The second Elder said.   
  
"The best course of action it seems to me is to send someone to help the ronins find Kaye and Katie before Maguyser can use them in his plan." The fifth and eldest Elder said.   
  
"But whom would we send?" The third asked.  
  
"Well why don't we send Tento?" The fourth asked.   
  
"Me?" Tento asked as if not believing what he had heard.  
  
"I think that would be a good idea. Tento you can take them to Maguyser and help them find Kaye and Katie." The fifth said as he looked at Tento.   
  
"But I can not do this. I am jus supposed to protect you five."   
  
"You can and you have to." The first added.   
  
"The ronins need your help Tento. They have to find Kaye and Katie or we will not only lose Katie and Kaye, but our lives too." The fifth said.   
  
Tento nodded and started to walk towards the exit, "Alright I will. I guess I have to." He then turned and walked out to go and help the ronins.   
  
~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~*****   
  
While Tento was on his way to them lets jus say that the ronins were all recovering from the fight with Reann. Mia had her first aid kit out and was checking over the hurt ronins to make sure that none of them had any life threatening wounds. After they had all checked out ok she went to go and put the first aid kit back.  
  
"So let me get this straight. You guys let them take Kaye and now Maguyser has her, Katie and her medallion?" Kento asked as he was trying to get his facts straight.   
  
"Yea, that's basically all that happened." Cye said.   
  
"Well, that's jus great. Now what are we supposed to do?" Kento said as he crossed his arms and sat back against the couch.  
  
"Chill Kento, you didn't exactly try and stop her yourself." Sage said as he held an ice pack against his head.   
  
"Well maybe because I was unconscious!" Kento shouted at him.   
  
"My point exactly." Sage said.  
  
"Well if I hadn't been unconscious blonde, I would have done something!" Kento replied.   
  
"Stop you two. This really isn't helping any." Rowen said hoping to stop the argument.   
  
"If only there was some way for us to get to Maguyser." Ryo muttered to himself. Kaye gone and Katie's medallion being taken had really hit home with him. All he had done since he had been given the A-OK from Mia was sit and mumble things to himself. The guys were starting to become worried about him. Just then there was a bright light and a man stepped into the front room. Tento looked around at his surroundings and then looked over at the ronins. "Um... I think I can be of some help."  
  
"Ok so they sent you here to help us?" Ryo asked him after Tento had got done telling them what all he knew and why he was there.   
  
"Basically yes. They sent me to take you all to Maguyser." He answered.   
  
"Ok then, what are we jus sitting round here for?" Kento asked as he stood up.  
  
"We can't just have him take us there without some kind of a plan." Cye said.   
  
"Cye's right. Ok Kento you, Cye and I will go and look for Kaye when we get there. Sage, you and Ryo will go and see if you can find Katie." Rowen said as he looked at them all.   
  
"Ok, Tento if you would, take us to Maguyser." Ryo said as he the others all stood. Tento nodded and with a flash of light they were all gone.   
  
~~~~***** ~~~~***** ~~~~***** ~~~~***** ~~~~***** ~~~~***** ~~~~*****  
  
Maguyser smiled as he looked at the now awake and back Katie. Everything he had planned was going right. He had Katie back and the Dream Walker, Kaye, not to mention the ronins were temporarily taken care of. Why wouldn't he be smiling? He now sat at his throne deciding his next move. "Now..." He thought aloud. "Should I take control of the Dream Walker now or use her to toy with the ronins?"  
  
"If I may say something." Katie said as she stood before him wearing something similar to what Reann was wearing in the ninja department.   
  
"You may." Maguyser said.   
  
"Why not use her to toy with them? It would be more interesting than to jus take control of her now. Besides I would like to make those pathetic ronins suffer before we dispose of them." Katie suggested.  
  
"Not a bad idea. Now Tento is here and he has brought the annoying ronins with him. Katie make yourself useful and give our guests a nice warm welcome." Maguyser said.  
  
Katie bowed and was gone. Maguyser than turned to Reann, "Make sure they find the Dream Walker."  
  
"What? Are you going to do what she suggested?" Reann asked as if not believing it.  
  
"Yes, Reann now either you do as I say or... do I have to tell you the or?"   
  
"No, sir." Reann said, bowed and was gone.  
  
~~~~~******* ~~~~~******* ~~~~~******* ~~~~~******* ~~~~~*******   
  
Tento lead them all inside the palace of Maguyser. From there they all split up. Kento, Cye and Rowen going one way to try and find Kaye while Ryo and Sage went the other to try and find Katie. Tento went back to be with the Elders since his job had been completed. Leaving the ronins to deal with the elements of Maguyser's palace alone.   
  
"Where do you think she could be?" Sage asked Ryo as they walked along the corridor.   
  
"I don't know. Hopefully we can get to her soon." Ryo replied.   
  
"You might jus find me sooner than you think."   
  
"Huh?" Ryo said as he looked around.  
  
"Katie?" Sage said as he too, looked around.   
  
All of a sudden torches lighted the room and there stood Katie. She stood in a black ninja garb type outfit. The flames making her eyes seem to dance with an odd excitement. She grinned and walked slowly over to them. Each step she took seem to make the flames jump higher and higher. "I'm so glad you guys found me." She said in a very not like her voice.   
  
"Katie? Are you ok and what are you doing here?" Sage asked as he motioned with his hands at the room.   
  
"I'm jus fine and I like it in this room, don't you?" She asked innocently.   
  
"Ok, something is definitely wrong here. Sis what's wrong with you?" Ryo asked, as he became alarmed.   
  
"Nothing's wrong with me. Its what's going to be wrong with you two." She said as she pointed her finger at them.   
  
"Katie, come on. This isn't right. You don't want to do this." Sage said as he took a step towards her. Throwing stars ended up at his feet, stopping him in his tracks.  
  
Katie smirked as she held up two more throwing stars in her hand. "And what would you know? Someone who has always fought for the side of good would know nothing. This is where I belong."   
  
"How can you say that Katie? This is not where you belong and it will never be where you belong. You belong with your friends and family." Ryo said as he tried to talk some sense into her.   
  
"You know nothing of what you're talking about. I don't have time to chat with you two, sadly. Now would you prefer to die by my hand or would you like to wait and die by master Maguyser's hand?" She said as she advanced towards them.   
  
"Katie please! You have to listen to us." Sage pleaded with her.   
  
"Sorry, Katie's not available at this time but leave her a message and she'll try and come to your funeral."   
  
"Katie stop this. I'm your brother, ok and I don't want to see you doing something that you've tried so hard to get away from." Ryo said as he tried again to get through to her.   
  
"Maguyser is using you Katie. He doesn't care what happens to you. We do." Sage said.   
  
"Is that so. Well you see..." She said as she held up her medallion. "I really could care less. This is who I am and what I will be. Nothing any of you say and do will ever change that." She said as she crushed her medallion in her hand. "I'm done being little miss goodie goodie and having to mask who I really am. No more. I'm back and for good."  
  
"No." Sage whispered as he stared at her. Not believing that she could be the same person he knew and loved.  
  
"Sis please..." Ryo said as he too stared at the person who stood in front of them. She looked like the Katie they knew, but she wasn't anymore. Her blue eyes were now clouded and dark. Her usually smiling face now held an evil glow to it. This person was definitely not the Katie they once knew.   
  
Ryo balled his hands into fists at his sides while Sage hung his head. They had come so close to saving her and now they feared that all was lost. Them, Kaye and anyone else who mattered. 


	9. ch 9

Emotions Vs Power  
  
Ch 9  
  
"Kaye! Where are you? Answer me!" Kento called out as he, Cye and Rowen were searching down the torch lit corridors.  
  
"Kento, do me a favor, and yell a little louder. I don't think that the whole place heard you." Rowen said as he glanced back at him.  
  
"Sorry Rowen, it's just that..." Kento replied as they continued their search.  
  
"It's ok Kento, we're just as concerned about Kaye as you are. We'll find her, you'll see." Cye said as he tried to give him a comforting smile.  
  
"Yea, I know Cye." Kento replied as he gave a small smile back.  
  
"Ah guys, I think that you better take a look." Rowen said as he was trying to get their attention.   
  
"Rowen, what?" Cye asked as he and Kento finally saw what he was seeing. Kento was about to charge right in, but Rowen and Cye held him back.  
  
"Humpf, I can't believe that someone like you could possibly be a threat to my master." Reann said as she looked over at Kaye skeptically.   
  
"You know what they say, don't judge a book by its cover." Kaye shot back with a glare.  
  
"Cute. But don't think that your false bravado with me will help you because I can see right through it." Reann replied as she grabbed onto Kaye's throat and began to dig her fingers into it, making Kaye fight to breathe. Reann gave a sinister smile as she watched Kaye, the chains on the wall shook loudly as she continued to struggle, Reann was enjoying every minute of it.  
  
Kento, Cye and Rowen from where they were could see that Kaye was about to go under. "That's it! I'm going in!" Kento whispered angrily as he broke free of them. But just as Kento was about to charge in, Maguyser came into the room.  
  
"Reann, what do you think that you're doing?" Maguyser asked as he walked up to them.  
  
"Master, I didn't hear you come in." Reann replied as she finally let go of Kaye's throat.  
  
"No I suppose not, you were so into cutting off the prey's air supply, and the loud rattling chains to even notice anything." Maguyser said as he motioned for Reann to move a side. Reann bowed and then moved away as he got in front of Kaye.   
  
"What do you want? Why did you bring me here?" Kaye whispered as she finally found her voice.  
  
"What I want and why you're here are of no concern to you at the present time." Maguyser replied as he got closer. "Let's just say that I have bigger plans for you later."  
  
"Where's Katie?" Kaye asked as she tried to switch the subject.  
  
"Katie has turned, she's my warrior once again. She's no longer the person you once knew, and the medallion that she once had, she destroyed it herself. So there's no way that you or the Ronins will ever get her back. It's kind of poetic, don't you think?" Maguyser asked with a sinister grin.  
  
"No, she wouldn't!" Kaye replied in disbelief.  
  
"Oh but she did. You should have seen the look on her boyfriend's and brother's face when she did it right in front of them. It was priceless." Maguyser gloated.  
  
"Katie." Kaye whispered sadly as a tear ran down her cheek. Maguyser took the back of his hand and caressed Kaye's cheek. Running it slowly across until he turned his wrist and his fingers were touching her lips. And then he ran his fingers down until he had a firm hold onto her throat, making Kaye snap her attention fully onto him.  
  
"Oh yes, there's one other matter that needs to be brought into the light, so to speak." Maguyser seethed as he took his other hand and quickly pulled back his hood, and revealing his very disfigured face. Kaye's eyes went wide as she was trying to struggle. "It's because of you that my face ended up this way!" Maguyser's anger hit it's zenith, and then with a sudden rush of adrenaline, he pulled Kaye from the wall with the chains and shackles on her as they came out from the wall. Maguyser held Kaye high by her throat, as the chains were hanging from her.   
  
"Let go of her, and I mean now!" Kento shouted as he, Cye and Rowen finally had more than enough and charged in.  
  
"I was wondering what it was going to take to get you three out of hiding." Maguyser replied as he turned around as he still held onto Kaye's throat.  
  
"Hiding! Hey, listen here, we don't hide from anyone, especially from someone like you, double ugly." Cye said angrily as they made a semi circle around Maguyser and Reann.  
  
"What!?" Maguyser asked angrily as he tightened his grip, making Kaye gasp for air.  
  
"If I were you, I would let go of her right now, if you know what's good for you!" Rowen replied as he pulled back on his bow.  
  
"Unfortunately, you three are in no position to be telling me what to do. In case you've forgotten, I'm the one that has all of the cards." Maguyser gloated.  
  
"I won't say it again, let her go!" Kento warned as his eyes went into angry slits.  
  
Maguyser grinned, "you want her? Then come and get her." he said as he brought Kaye down and quickly took the chains that were hanging from her, and wrapped them around Kaye's body while still holding on to the end of the chains as he pulled her into him. That moment was all that Reann needed to flip over their heads and land behind them battle ready.  
  
"Watch out!" Kaye warned as she saw that Reann started her attack. Kento, Cye and Rowen quickly turned around and blocked Reann.   
  
"I've been waiting for a chance to fight you." Kento growled as he started to charge at her.  
  
"Why? So I can beat you again?" Reann taunted with a smirk as she flipped out of the way. This distraction that Reann was doing was all that Maguyser needed.   
  
With his free hand, Maguyser formed some kind of glowing weapon, "dream of me." Maguyser said with a grin as he plunged the glowing weapon into the back of Kaye's head. Kaye didn't have time to scream, she immediately fell to the floor unconscious, as Maguyser laughed while he disappeared.  
  
"See ya around." Reann said with a smirk as she too vanished from the fight.   
  
"Yea that's right, go ahead and run, you cowards!" kento shouted to no one in particular.  
  
"Kento." Rowen said as he was trying to get his attention. But he didn't turn around, so then Rowen tried again. "Kento!"  
  
That time he got Kento's attention. "What?" Kento asked in annoyance as he turned around to face him. Just as he was about to throw Rowen a look, he saw that Rowen and Cye were kneeling down by Kaye's side. "Kaye?" No response, Kento quickly knelt down as he pushed Rowen out of the way so he could get closer to her. "Come on Kaye, say something."  
  
"Something." Kaye whispered as she started to open her eyes.  
  
"Kaye, how are you feeling? Can you move?" Cye asked in concern.  
  
"To be honest Cye, I'm not exactly feeling my best, but I'll survive," Kaye replied. "And to your question of can I move? My answer is no, I can't."  
  
"What's wrong? Are your legs broken, ankle sprang?" Kento asked with worry.  
  
"No, I can't move because I still have these stupid chains around me. Would someone please get them off?" Kaye replied with a wiry smile. A small chuckle was given by the guys as they were working on getting the chains off of Kaye. Then as soon as they were, Kento helped Kaye to stand.  
  
"I think that it's time to get out of here and go and find Ryo and Sage." Rowen said as they started to leave.  
  
"Rowen?" Kaye asked as they were walking back through the corridors.  
  
"Yea?" Rowen replied as he glanced back.  
  
"Is what Maguyser said true? Did Katie actually turn?" Kaye asked. Silence followed for a while as they kept on walking, until, "Rowen, please, I have to know."   
  
"We don't know for sure, Kaye. Hopefully not, but it looks like we're going to find out soon enough." Cye replied as they finally made it to where the three of them, and Sage and Ryo split up. When they got there, they saw that Sage and Ryo were actually fighting Katie. It looked like Kaye got her answer.  
  
"It looks like Sage and Ryo could use some backup. Ok, here's how it's going to be. Cye, you and I will go and backup Ryo and Sage. Kento, we're going to need you to hang back and watch over Kaye." Rowen said as he came up with a plan.  
  
"Rowen, Cye wait!" Kaye replied quickly. They looked back, "be careful, ok." Cye and Rowen gave a quick nod and then went to join in the fight.  
  
"Oh look, the cavalry is here." Katie said dryly as Rowen and Cye ran over.  
  
"Hey, did you guys find Kaye? Is she all right?" Ryo asked as Katie stepped back and watched them.  
  
"Why don't you look over there and see for yourself?" Cye asked back as he motioned over to where Kento was supporting Kaye.  
  
"Aw, it looks like your little dream walker isn't looking too good." Katie taunted with a smirk. "She looks like she's in pain, maybe I should just put her out of her misery."  
  
"Leave her alone! Your fight is with us!" Sage replied.   
  
Katie turned her attention back towards them. "You're right. Aw what's the matter? Does it bother you that you're fighting someone that you love?" Sage looked away so he wouldn't allow Katie to see the despair in his eyes. "It does bother you. And what about you, brother? Does it bother you that you're fighting family?" Ryo clutched onto his swords even tighter than before as he was trying to control his anger. Katie just laughed, and that made it much worse.  
  
Katie's laugh set off Ryo's anger big time. "I'm sorry, Katie, forgive me." Ryo thought as he went in for a frontal attack.   
  
Katie saw the attack coming, she just stood there waiting as he came closer and closer. Until at the very last second she slid underneath him and then quickly stood up and got ready to attack.  
  
"Don't do it chica! Please, chica don't do it!" Kaye yelled from where she and Kento were starting to slowly come from.   
  
"Why do you care so much if I kill them or not?" Katie asked as she stopped her attack and allowed Ryo to regroup with the others.  
  
"Because the real Katie is still in there somewhere. I know that she is, the real Katie wouldn't be able to live with herself if someone that she cared for was hurt, or even if you or someone else killed them." Kaye replied as she winced in pain. "That's not the real you."  
  
"Pretty words, but unfortunately that's all they are, pretty words. You're wrong, this is the real me, and there's nothing that any of you can say or do to change that!" Katie shot back.  
  
"No, I won't believe that. Katie, you know that there's a chance that I can bring the real you back. You know what I'm talking about." Kaye replied with a determined look.  
  
"You're talking about using your dragon's song." Katie said as she started to back away a little. "I won't allow you to use it!" Just as Katie said that, she vanished.  
  
Up high in the darkness, "master, is what the dream walker said true? Can she actually break your hold on Katie?" Reann asked.  
  
"She's done it once before, so that means she can do it again. But I'll make sure that she doesn't get the chance to use it." Maguyser replied as he glared down at them. 


	10. ch 10

﻿  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Emotions vs. Power  
  
Disclaimer: WE don't own the Ronins or Mia. Man, how many times have we said that? Eh, well anyway we do own our own characters and if you've been following this story than you know who owns who. ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Damnit!" Ryo shouted as he punched the wall with his armored covered fist. Anger and rage had begun to build up inside of him and this was the only way he knew how to let it out without anyone getting hurt.  
  
"Hey, Ryo its not your fault." Sage said as he laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Ryo shook it off and turned to stare at his teammates. "Yes it is. She was counting on me to help her. To save her and I couldn't! She is my sister; my own family and I let her down!"   
  
"We all did Ryo. You weren't the only one she was counting on." Kaye said quietly, trying to calm the angered ronin.   
  
"It's not over Ryo. We can still win and get her back." Rowen said as he took his try at calming him.   
  
Ryo just shook his head stubbornly. "What are we going to do? Maguyser has her, her medallion is gone. Kaye is hurt and can't help us that much and I did nothing to stop that, that lunatic from getting to my sister!" Ryo shouted at them as he waved his arms to emphasize his point.  
  
"Ryo." Cye said calmly trying to gain his attention. The ronin leader going off into one of his self-blaming moments while they were still in enemy territory was not a good thing.   
  
"WHY?!" Ryo shouted as he looked up towards the ceiling. "Why couldn't you guys help her?!"   
  
Kaye looked down at the ground as Kento kept a hold on her to keep her from falling. She started to feel a little dizzy and shook her head as little dots started form in front of her eyes. Trying to clear the annoying things from her sight. What did he do to me? She asked herself.   
  
"Someone answer me as to why those Elders couldn't have helped her?! Why they couldn't have prevented this from happening? Can you?!" Ryo ranted, as he looked at each one of the ronins with wild blue eyes that seemed to accuse each of them.   
  
"Ryo, none of us have any answers. We're just as clueless as you are." Cye said gently, trying once again to calm him.   
  
"We need to get Kaye out of here though. We're still on Maguyser's turf and anything could happen to us here. Come on Ryo and try to pull your self together. We need to find a way back." Rowen said.   
  
There was a bright flash of light and then Tento was standing in the corridor hallway with them. "I can be of assistance."   
  
Ryo turned and laid cold blue eyes on him as he started to approach the confused guy . "You." He said as he reached Tento, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall. "You and the Elders did NOTHING to help her!"   
  
"RYO!" Sage and Rowen shouted as they grabbed each of his arms and pulled them off the defenseless Tento. They then pulled his arms behind his back to keep him from hurting anyone else.   
  
"Ryo, come on man. You need to chill out." Kento said as he held Kaye.   
  
Tento took a few minutes to catch his breath before he tried to speak. "I was sent to take you all home. It is not safe here."   
  
"Are you all right?" Cye asked him.   
  
Tento nodded, "Yes, but I must get you all out of here."   
  
"Well feel free to at any time." Rowen said as he and Sage tried to keep their hold on the outraged ronin leader. Tento nodded and then with a flash they were all gone.  
  
~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****  
  
"REANN, KATIE!" Maguyser bellowed as he paced the floor of his throne room. Both appeared and bowed before him.   
  
"Yes." Reann said as she stood.   
  
"We must act now. Reann I want you to go and keep an eye on the annoying pests." He said as he looked at Reann.   
  
Reann bowed, "As you wish master." She said as she turned and disappeared to carry out her order.   
  
"And as for you." Maguyser said as he looked at Katie who seemed to be not too happy with him at all. Maguyser looked puzzled, "What's the matter with you?"  
  
Katie glared at him, "I may be your little warrior again, but I still love my brother and Halo."   
  
"You feel love for no one. You have no feelings. You know only to kill." Maguyser said.   
  
"Ya know." Katie said as a sly grin came across her lips. "We could use them."  
  
Maguyser looked at her with interest, "Go on."  
  
"I was just thinking. My brother is very strong and would be an excellent addition to this little group of ours and Sage is a healer. He could be very useful to us." She said as she crossed her arms.   
  
Maguyser smirked, "And you were thinking that we could capture them and bring them to our side. Am I right?"  
  
"My you do think fast." She said as she tried to look surprised.   
  
Maguyser thought over what she had said to him as he sat down at his throne. "All right. We will bring this Wildfire and Halo to our side. They could be very useful to use in time. I will have Reann do that while she is keeping an eye on them. For now I want you to go and pay those Elders a little visit for me."  
  
Katie raised an eyebrow in surprise as to what he had told her to do. "Can I ask why?"  
  
"I think they would love to see an old face and I want to make sure that they understand you are mine again. Nothing they try to do will bring you back." He said as he smiled evilly and raised a hand to touch her face.  
  
Katie smirked and bowed. "Yes, master." She said as she too turned and disappeared.  
  
Maguyser smirked to himself as he thought over his plan to rule the Earth and other worlds. "If that Dream Walker thinks she can take my assassin away from me again she has another thing coming. I won't make the same mistakes again. This time my evil will prevail!" He said as he began to laugh out loud.   
  
~~~~******~~~~******~~~~******~~~~******~~~~******  
  
Reann entered the house the way she had once before. Quietly she snuck down to where the ronins where all huddled. She noted how none of them had seemed to notice that she had even entered the house. Looking down at them she could she all but two of them down there. Ryo was sitting on the couch hunched over petting White Blaze. He looked very hurt and lost. Sage was sitting opposite of him; staring into space. Cye had just now walked into the living room with a tray of what looked like food and some kind of drink for all of them. He sat the tray down on the coffee table in font of everyone and then took a seat next to Ryo and Rowen on the couch.   
  
"Well this should be easy to do." She said to herself as she got up to hide until the two ronins she wanted were alone.   
  
~~~~~~~******* ~~~~~~~******* ~~~~~~~******* ~~~~~~~*******   
  
"Things have gotten way out of hand." The third Elder said as he looked to the others. They nodded quietly to themselves. The worst of what was to come had happened and now all they could do was wait.   
  
Katie came walking down the familiar corridor like she had done so many times as she walked into the throne room of the Elders. She grinned at them, "Miss me?"   
  
Tento stood in front of the Elders, blocking her way. "I will not allow you passage to the Elders."   
  
Katie rolled her eyes at him, "Oh please do you think you could really stop me Tento?"   
  
The eldest of them waved Tento away and looked directly at Katie. His weathered face showing no fear. "We know why you have come and we will not try and stop you. There is nothing we can do for you now."   
  
"No there isn't is there? There was nothing you could ever do for me. I chose to go back and this is where I will stay. Face it, you will lose this time." She said and smiled a very cold unnatural smile.  
  
"We are sorry that this had to happen to you again. You had so much going for you." The fourth said as a look of sympathy formed on his face.  
  
"I don't want your pity old man. I am who I always was meant to be and couldn't be happier."   
  
"You may not be a guardian anymore, but we can still feel what you feel. Your friend was right, there is still good in you. The Katie that we once knew and cared for like a daughter is still inside you." The eldest spoke again.   
  
She faltered for a minute, taken back by what he had said. Then she shook her head and laughed some to herself. "Madre del dios, it doesn't matter what you say or think. I know how I feel and right now I would love nothing more than to kill you all."   
  
"Do you really want to do that? Will it make you feel better? If so than kill us now. We are all old and have lived a very long life. Kill us if it would make you feel better, Katie." The second Elder said.   
  
Katie laughed that unnatural laugh that sent shivers up the Elders spine's as she walked closer to them. "Yes, it probably would, but my orders were to come and visit you all. Not kill you. As much as I would love to." She said and laid cold emotionless blue eyes on them. The Elders all looked to the eldest who looked down at the floor. They had failed to protect her and now the lives of millions hung in the balance.   
  
~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~**** ~~~~~****   
  
It had taken a while but her wait was worth it. The others had gone off to bed after a long while of silence between them. The only two still up where the ones she wanted. She smirked to herself as she made her way quietly to them.   
  
Ryo sat where he had been since he had gotten back. Sage still opposite him. Neither said anything. They didn't have to. Both were thinking the same things. Kaye was now hurt but they didn't know what was the problem. She had nothing that anyone could see wrong with her but she still didn't seem right to any of them.   
  
White Blaze's ears twitched at the sounds of silent foot steps coming towards them. He lifted his head and looked around. Ryo looked down at him and frowned. "What is it boy?"   
  
Sage looked around the room, now alert that another presence was in there. Before either of them could do anything a hand came out of no where. Striking Ryo on his neck and rendering him unconscious. Sage stood, along with White Blaze and stared at the intruder.  
  
White Blaze growled and lounged for her. Reann simply waved her hand at the large tiger and he fell asleep before her eyes. Sage looked at the tiger that was not fast asleep on the floor and back at Reann.   
  
"Well, where was all his ronin power?" Reann said as she looked at Ryo and then up at Sage. "Well you know what, I can actually see why she is so attached to you." She said as she looked Sage over from head to toe.   
  
"Where is she? What have you done to her?!" Sage shouted at her, trying to keep his voice down so as to not wake the others.   
  
"Protective of your property aren't you?" Reann asked as she grinned at him.   
  
"I swear, if Ryo doesn't kill you first I will..."   
  
"What? Kill me? You and Ryo here couldn't lay a hand on me even if you wanted to." She said as she picked Ryo up and threw him over her shoulder. "Now, I came here to get you and Ryo. Do you want to see Katie or not?"  
  
Sage looked skeptically at her. "How do I know this isn't some kind of trap?"  
  
"You don't. I just thought that maybe you would want to see her. Since you both looked so sad without her." Sage glared at her but said nothing. "Are you going to come or not?" She continued.   
  
"Do I have a choice?" Sage asked.   
  
"Not really." Reann said as she hit him on the back of the neck, causing him to crumble to the floor. She caught him before he hit the floor and disappeared before anyone woke up.   
  
~~~~~~~~**** ~~~~~~~~**** ~~~~~~~~**** ~~~~~~~~**** ~~~~~~~~****   
  
"Ow, my head." Ryo said as he awoke to find himself chained and in some kind of a cell. He looked around and groaned when light flooded into the room; blinding him temporally. He looked up when the sound of a door shutting was heard. He went for his armor orb in his pocket when he found it not there.   
  
"Looking for this?" An all to familiar voice asked him.  
  
"Huh?" He said as he looked up to see the last person in the world he thought he would see. "Katie?"  
  
She nodded and walked closer to him, "I had them bring you here."  
  
"Why?" Ryo asked as he looked up at the person he once knew as his sister.   
  
"I thought I could make you an offer."   
  
"An offer?" Ryo repeated, now starting to get a very bad feeling.   
  
"Yea, an offer hermano. I am offering you the opportunity to join my side."   
  
Ryo stared at her for a minute, not believe what he was hearing. His sister, the only real family he had left was asking him to betray his friends and his duty as a ronin and join her side. He missed her yes and would do anything to get her back but this he could not do. He looked up at her, "No. I can't, I can't forget everything I stand for and have fought for to join your side."  
  
He thought he saw a flicker of hurt in her emotionless blue eyes but pushed that thought aside. "Katie this isn't right and you know it. Please sis, I don't want to have to fight you again. Please I know you are still in there, somewhere." He said as he reached up to take her head in his hands. She pulled away from him and stood up. Ryo looked up at her with pleading eyes.  
  
"No matter, after we are through with you, you will see things differently." Katie said as she turned to walk out of the cell. Leaving a very lonely and sad Ryo behind.   
  
~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~***** ~~~~~*****   
  
Sage had been awake for sometime now and was busy on trying to find a way out when a door behind him opened and closed. He didn't turn around to see who had come in. He figured it was just Reann coming in to pester him again.   
  
"Oh come on don't be like that." Reann said as she looked at his back.   
  
Sage smirked to himself. I hate it when I'm right, He thought. "Leave me alone, Reann." Reann laughed some at his words and Sage turned to glare at her. "You think this is funny don't you? You think me being chained up and here is funny!" He said as he held up his chained hands for proof.   
  
Reann smiled and walked towards him, "Yea, I'm loving every minute of this." Sage watched her as she walked towards him, not sure as to what she was going to do. Reann smirked at the unsure look on his face.   
  
"That's enough Reann."   
  
Reann turned around to look at the person who had said that. Sage looked around her and blinked at the person who was standing in the doorway. "Maguyser wants you, you'd betta get moving chica." Reann smirked and sauntered out of the cell room.   
  
Sage stood wide eyed looking at the person in front of him. He was considerering pinching himself when he remembered that his hands where chained. He blinked and then looked again. She was till there so it couldn't be a dream, he thought to himself.   
  
Katie laughed slightly to herself. "No, I'm not a dream and yes I am really here but don't get your hopes up, Halo." He felt his heart sink when she called him Halo. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his cheek as she looked at him. "I can't help you with the pain. All I can do is tell you to get used to who I am."  
  
Sage shook his head and took her face in his hands as he looked at her, "This is not who you are Katie, can't you see that?"  
  
"I can see that your still stuck on who I once was." She said stubbornly. "I may be back to being an assassin for Maguyser but I have not lost my love for you."   
  
Sage looked at her as tears started to form. "How can I make you see that this is not who you are?"  
  
"You can't Halo, all you can do is just join me." Katie said, her eyes searching his.   
  
Sage stared at her in disbelief. "Join you?" He repeated as he shook his head. "Listen to yourself, this is crazy talk."  
  
"Hey, Maguyser wants to see both of us Katie." Reann said as she leaned against the doorway.  
  
"Katie listen to me." Sage said as he looked at her. "Don't go. Don't listen to him." She tried to pull away to leave but he grabbed her face again and pulled her into a kiss. She pulled away from him and he stared at her. "Don't leave me Katie, please."   
  
"Come on, he doesn't like to be kept waiting. You can come back here and play kissy face with him later." Reann said impatiently from where she stood.   
  
"Yea, yea I heard ya the first time Reann. Why don't you just go on ahead of me and I'll be right there." Katie said angrily as she turned to glare at her. Reann smirked and walked away.   
  
"Katie please." Sage pleaded with her as he held her face once again. "You can stop this. You know you can."   
  
She looked at him, her eyes once again emotionless and cold. "Mi amor, I have to go." She said as she turned from him and walked out of the holding cell. She walked down the corridor and was surprised when a tear fell on her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and continued for the throne room. 


	11. ch 11

Emotions Vs Power  
  
ch 11  
  
Kaye tossed and turned in her bed. For some reason she couldn't sleep. Then finally, she opened her eyes, gave a sigh of frustration as she laid there and frowned at the ceiling. Kaye just kept staring annoyingly at the ceiling for a few more minutes, and then she threw her covers off and started to get out of bed. Grumbling to herself, Kaye slowly started to walk towards her window. When she got there, Kaye opened it and leaned out, letting the cool night air cool her. As she continued to stare at the night sky, "Katie, I'll get you back my friend, I promise." Kaye vowed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I see that you were successful in bringing Wildfire and Halo." Maguyser said as Reann and Katie entered the throne room.  
  
"Of course master, did you have any doubts that I wouldn't?" Reann asked as she bowed.  
  
"No Reann, I had no doubts. Now Katie, I understand that you were not successful on convincing them to join us. Am I correct?" Maguyser asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"I'm sorry, master, I..." Katie started to say.  
  
"Silence! I don't want to hear any excuses!" Maguyser yelled angrily.  
  
"Yes master." Katie replied as she quickly bowed.  
  
"You're in luck, my assassin that I have another way to convinces them to join our side." Maguyser said with a smirk as he suddenly made Sage and Ryo appear before them.   
  
"Ryo, are you ok?" Sage asked as he looked over toward him.  
  
"Sage?" Ryo asked in slight confusion. "Yea, I guess so, what about you?"  
  
"If you call this ok, I guess." Sage replied as he motioned to Ryo that their arms were chained to the floor in front of them.  
  
"Wonderful." Ryo said sarcastically.  
  
"Enough!" Maguyser bellowed as he made Sage and Ryo snap their attention forward. "Now, I'm going to give you two an offer, and I believe that it would be in the best interest if you two took it."   
  
"If it's an offer to join you, then you can just forget it!" Ryo shot back.  
  
"Humph, I thought as much. What about you, Halo? What is your answer?" Maguyser asked curiously.  
  
"Forget it! I'm with Ryo, there's nothing that you can say or do to change that!" Sage replied angrily.  
  
"Both of you are rather stubborn, and that's just too bad. It's really too bad that this had to happen for your refusals." Maguyser said as he made an image of the inside of the Koji mansion to appear.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ryo asked, "what had to happen?"  
  
"Just watch and you'll see for yourself." Maguyser replied as he made the image change to when Kaye was starting to walk in the upstairs hallway.   
  
"What's he going to do?" Sage wondered as he and Ryo continued to watch.   
  
"Dream Walker!" Maguyser said as his eyes glowed.  
  
"Who's there!?" Kaye asked as she quickly looked around.  
  
"Aw, Dream Walker, I'm hurt that you don't remember me." Maguyser taunted with a smirk.  
  
"Where are you!?" Kaye asked as she was starting to definitely not liking this.  
  
"Why, I'm inside of your head." Maguyser replied. "Do you remember when I told you to dream of me?"  
  
Kaye's eyes went wide and then with another quick flash of his eyes, Maguyser flooded Kaye's mind with images and voices of the people that he use to torture. "No, not again!" Kaye exclaimed as she clutched her head and closed her eyes tightly shut as she stumbled around the hallway.   
  
"Stop it, Maguyser! Leave her alone!" Ryo yelled to him.  
  
"R..Ryo?" Kaye asked in slight confusion as she fell back against a wall.  
  
"She heard me?" Ryo asked, "how?"  
  
"Simple, Wildfire, she heard you because of the link that I share telepathically with my little "gift" that I gave her just as your friends got her. You see, I wanted them to find the Dream Walker. Now do you understand?" Maguyser asked with amusement.   
  
"You animal!" Sage yelled at him angrily. "So you're using the fact that you can hurt her to persuade us to join you? Is that it?"  
  
"Not only can I hurt her, Halo, but I can control her anytime that I want." Maguyser replied with a smirk. "Dream Walker, on the back of your head where I struck you, you should feel something embedded. Do you?"  
  
Kaye slowly raised her hand and felt behind her head and touched something with her fingers. Her eyes went wide when she found it. "Yes." Kaye replied quietly.  
  
"Kaye, pull it out!" Sage called to her.   
  
Kaye was about to do what he said, but then, "ah, I wouldn't if I were you, Dream Walker. If you or anyone else tried to   
  
pull it out, then I'm sorry to say that you'll die." Maguyser replied as he stopped her from doing so. "And I wouldn't want that to happen. Well, not until after my plans for you are finished, anyway."  
  
"No." Kaye whispered as she fell to the ground on her knees in defeat, as she covered her face with her hands and started to cry.  
  
Maguyser started to laugh as he made the image disappear. "Now I suggest that you two rethink your answers about my offer." Maguyser said as he made them disappear from his sight.  
  
"Master, do you think that they will join us now?" Reann asked curiously.  
  
"They'll see it my way, but if they don't, then, well, the Dream Walker's blood will be on their hands." Maguyser replied with a smirk.  
  
"No, he can't be serious. I didn't think that he would take it that far. I do want to be with them, but not this way." Katie thought in disbelief.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Damn it!" Ryo swore angrily as he pulled at the chains, knowing that it was useless.  
  
"Ryo, calm down." Sage replied sternly.  
  
"Sage, how can you be so calm? Especially after what you saw!" Ryo asked as he glared at him.  
  
"Hey, I'm just as furious as you are ok! But this isn't the way." Sage replied as he sat down.  
  
"Yea I know." Ryo said as he too finally sat down.   
  
"So now what?" Sage asked as he glanced over at him.  
  
"I don't know, Sage." Ryo replied as he looked down onto the ground.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kaye slowly stood up, leaning against the wall as she used it to try and stabilize herself. As soon as she felt stable, she started to walk towards one of the tables that were nearby as tears were still streaming down. Kaye picked up a vase and chucked it hard and fast against the wall, making a very loud crash. The noise of the crashing vase made everyone bolt out of their rooms and into the hallway. "Kaye what's wrong?" Mia asked as she and the others looked towards her in concern.  
  
"Hey, where are Sage and Ryo? I thought that they would run out here too when they heard the crash." Cye asked as he noticed that they weren't there.  
  
"You're right Cye, I would have ran into Sage on the way out, but I didn't." Rowen replied in slight confusion.  
  
"Ryo? Are you in there?" Mia asked as she opened the door. "Guys, Ryo's gone too!"  
  
"Maguyser..." Kaye whispered quietly.  
  
"Kaye, what about Maguyser?" Kento asked in concern.  
  
"He..He has them." Kaye replied.  
  
"Are you sure," Cye asked as he looked towards her. "How do you know?"  
  
"I...I heard them." Kaye replied in a shaky voice.  
  
"You heard them," Rowen asked, "are they all right?"  
  
"I think so." Kaye replied as she was trying to get her composure. "There's something else that you all should know."  
  
"Kaye, what is it?" Mia asked in concern. Kaye gave no verbal reply, instead she pulled back her hair and revealed the thing that was embedded into the back of her head, and then lowered her hair down.  
  
"What is that?" Kento asked.  
  
"It's Maguyser's way of controlling me." Kaye replied as she clutched her hands into fists.  
  
"What!?" they all said at the same time.  
  
"How or when did this happen?" Cye asked with a slight frown.  
  
"When you guys came for me, he plunged some kind of glowing weapon into the back of my head." Kaye explained as she wrapped her arms around herself.  
  
"I'm going to pull it out." Kento said as he reached for it.  
  
"No!" Kaye exclaimed as she quickly backed away from him.  
  
"Kaye, what? Why?" Kento asked confused. "Do you want Maguyser to control you?"  
  
"No, I don't." Kaye replied.  
  
"Then let me pull it out." Kento said.  
  
"Kento, if you, me or anyone else pull this, whatever it is out, then I'll die." Kaye replied as Kento stopped.   
  
"No, he's lying!" Kento said in disbelief.  
  
"Kento, what if he wasn't lying? What if whatever that thing is does get pulled out, then Kaye could die. Do you honestly want to risk it?" Cye asked as he looked over to him.  
  
"No." Kento replied in a defeated tone.  
  
"There's something else." Kaye said.  
  
"You've got to be kidding." Rowen replied as he saw the look in her eyes that she wasn't.  
  
"It looks like for whatever reason, Maguyser wants Ryo and Sage to join him." Kaye said as she lowered her eyes.  
  
"But why?" Mia asked confused.  
  
"Not sure, he didn't exactly say why as he was toying with my mind, as well as my life. I didn't get a chance to ask." Kaye   
  
shot back. Mia back away for a second, Kaye saw this and then she felt guilty because of the way that she yelled at her friend. "I'm sorry, Mia. I didn't mean..."  
  
"It's alright, Kaye." Mia replied with a small smile. Kaye nodded and then sighed.  
  
"There's one more thing , am I right?" Cye asked as he laid a comforting hand onto her shoulder.  
  
"Yea," Kaye replied, "he said that he has plans for me, but he didn't say what they were. God, why did this have to happen? Why?" she whispered as Kaye was starting to cry again. Kento went up to her and brought Kaye into his embrace to try and comfort her the best that he could. 


	12. ch 12

Emotions Vs Power  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Katie walked into the holding cell where Ryo and Sage were being held, followed by Reann. Ryo and Sage looked up to see who had entered, a smile coming to their faces when she came in and then just as quickly leaving when they saw the look in her eyes. Reann smiled cockily, beaming like a child in a candy store. Something about the whole situation didn't seem right to them.   
  
"Katie?" Ryo said, sounding slightly baffled. She smirked at him for her answer, sending warning bells off in Ryo and Sage's minds. Ryo backed slightly away from her. For once in the short time they had been reunited, afraid of his own sister.   
  
Reann smiled again, "Its time to break you two in." She said as the mischievous glint appeared in her eyes once again. Something about the way she said 'break you two in' didn't sound too fun to Ryo and Sage.   
  
Sage turned to Katie for the first time since she had come in. He now noticed how far-gone she really was. Her eyes no longer twinkled with a hint of mischief and life. No, they were now dull and lifeless. Almost like a dolls eyes. He then turned to look at Reann who was smiling brightly, obviously happy about something. Sage then turned to Ryo and both knew at that instant that they were in for a long day.   
  
"What do you want with us?" Sage asked, anger evident in his voice.   
  
Katie smiled some as she crossed her arms. Something that, Sage noticed, she used to do all the time. "Straight forward, to the point aren't you Halo? You always were." She said as she looked at him. He looked away from her. "We're going to give you both one last chance to take up master Maguyser's generous offer or....."   
  
"Or what?" Ryo questioned, already sure of what the answer was going to be.   
  
"Or we torture you both until you agree to." Reann said cheerfully. Ryo glared at Reann, wishing he could call forth his armor and burn that smile right off her face.  
  
"You can torture us all you want. It's not going to change anything. We will NEVER join your side." Sage shouted at them as he waved his chained hands for emphasis.   
  
"Well that's really too bad." Katie said as she flicked her hand in his direction. Sage instantly dropped to the floor holding his head in his hands, groaning in pain.   
  
"Sage! What did you do to him?" Ryo shouted at her as he looked concernedly at his friend. Katie only laughed at him. Ryo growled and started to go to his friend's aid.   
  
"Oh no you don't, Wildfire." Katie said as she waved her hand and he was instantly thrown back against the wall. He fell to the ground, wincing some. Reann watched with amusement. Her smile going back to her face as she watched the ronins suffer.  
  
Katie than looked over at her, "Leave Reann. I don't need you here."   
  
"No way. This was both of our assignment. I'm not going anywhere." She replied back, her smile fading.  
  
"Leave, or you'll get the same treatment that they are." Katie barked at her, getting in her face. Reann looked at her, for a minute a look of fear flashed in her brown eyes before she smirked at her.   
  
"All right, I'm going." She said, the smile returning to her face as she walked out of the holding cell. Closing the door behind her.   
  
Katie turned back to the ronins. Ryo had now gotten up from where he had been thrown across the room and Sage was breathing hard as he tried to stand. Shakily he stood and looked at her. His eyes asking why. A twisted smile came to her lips as she watched the two stare at her in shock and fear.   
  
Fear. Something about it made her come alive. She could smell it, the sweet fear that was now coming off the two ronins. Ryo climbed to his feet. His eyes wide with what looked like a mix between shock and astonishment. That same twisted smile came to her lips once again as she saw the look in his eyes.   
  
"Want to give up and say yes or do I have to make you both?" She found herself saying before she knew what she was doing. A devious grin forming on her lips, replacing the twisted one that had found its way there.   
  
"Why? Why are you doing this?" Ryo asked her, a look like a deer caught in a cars headlights on his face.   
  
"I gave you a chance. You didn't want to take it... this is what happens." She replied icily. "I was given orders to make sure you two are turned and that's what I'm going to do."  
  
Sage shook his head as he chuckled some to his self. He straightened up to his full height before he forced himself to look at her. "Then I guess you'll have to kill us won't you, Katie? You are still going by Katie aren't you or does master Maguyser have a different name for you now?" He smirked some after his last statement.   
  
"You bastard." Katie growled at him as she in a flash had him against the wall. Her small hand was locked tightly around his throat as she held him up high against the wall. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she began to choke him.   
  
"STOP IT!" Ryo shouted at her, hoping to somehow gain her attention. Why Sage would be such an idiot and pick a fight with her was beyond him. She held all the cards and he knew that. Ticking her off could only get him killed.   
  
"How dare you talk to me like that." She growled at him, still fixed on choking what little life he had left out of him.   
  
Sage chuckled some to his self or at least tried to. What came out was more of mix between a cough and chuckle. "What's the matter? Truth hurt?" Katie glared at him as she tightened her grip on his throat. Sage's face contorted into a look of pain as he fought to keep oxygen coming into his lungs.   
  
"You say you still love me Katie, but this is how you show it? By trying to turn us? Killing me?" He got out as he tried to breathe. She half smiled and dropped him to the floor. He immediately began gasping and taking huge gulps of air. Trying to fill his lungs with the much-needed oxygen.   
  
Ryo stood off to the side, watching the whole thing play out before him. Finding his voice he said, "Why turn us? What good could we possibly have for Maguyser?"  
  
She smirked again as what sounded like a laugh escaped from her. She turned from Sage, walking back towards the door. "Oh you silly little fools. You don't get it do you?" She said as she then turned to look at them. "Being with Maguyser and on this side is your ticket to live. This is the only way that you two can survive this battle."  
  
"What fantasy are you living in?" Ryo replied to her little speech.   
  
"Maguyser is not going to win this battle. We will win, whether you like it or not Katie." He kneeled next to Sage as he tried to find out if he was going to be ok.   
  
She shook her head at her once brother's words. That's all they were to her. Words. She then snapped her fingers and the chains that held Ryo and Sage's hands fell off. Both ronins looked at their hands and than at Katie who held no emotion on her face.   
  
"What did you do that for? Won't Maguyser be mad at you?" Ryo asked as he eyed her suspiciously. Sage grabbed onto his arm and shook his head at him. Ryo looked at him, a puzzled look forming on his face.   
  
"She's giving us a fair fight." Sage said quietly as he tried to stand.   
  
"I'll tell ya what." She said as she began to slowly walk around them. "I'll let you two try your luck at me. If you win then I'll let you both go. But if you lose...." She let the question hang in the air.  
  
"If we lose?" Ryo inquired.  
  
"Well..." She smirked slightly to herself. "You lose and your Maguyser's. Forever." She added.  
  
"Taking a pretty big risk here, aren't ya Katie?" Ryo pressed on. "I mean, if we were to win and you let us go. Wouldn't Maguyser be mad? Wouldn't he punish you severely? Are you willing to risk that?"   
  
"I could care less what he likes or thinks. I have a mind of my own. I'm not his little puppet all the time." She replied as she slid into what looked like a ninja stance. Readying her self for them to attack.   
  
Ryo looked to Sage and they both nodded. Neither liked the idea of fighting her, but had no choice. It was that or give in and neither wanted to do that. Ryo came at her first with a frontal attack while Sage came from the side. Punches and kicks were thrown and missed. Fists flew as the three engaged in a battle that could decide the fate of two of them.   
  
Katie threw a punch at Ryo who missed and grabbed her arm. Pulling it behind her back and grabbing her other one at the same time. She let out a growl of protest as he pulled her arm back farther. "Why don't you just give up? You know this isn't right."  
  
She snorted and kicked his shin, flipping him then over her shoulder. Ryo landed with a thud on the hard floor. Sage came from the side. She sent a kick at him who in turn caught her foot. Using the force of her kick her pushed her backwards, watching as she fell to the ground. Surprised by what happened her reaction time was off. Taking this moment he pinned her to the ground.   
  
"Why won't you listen to us? We're not the enemy, Katie! He is! Come back to us." He pleaded with her. She said nothing but smirked. Bringing her leg up she flipped him over her head and off her. She then jumped back to her feet.   
  
"Give it up. I like who I am." Her icy voice cut through the stillness that had come over the three. Sage and Ryo stood still as they tried to regain their strength and breath.   
  
"Do you really like who you are, Katie?" She heard Ryo ask her. She looked over at him. Taken back by what he said.   
  
"Cut the act Katie. We can see right through it. You're not at all happy with who you are." Sage chimed in.   
  
Katie looked at the two ronins. Her friends, brother, love, a memory hit her. Tenshu. Tenshu had said those very same things to her. She held her head as a wave of feelings and memories washed over her. Her knees felt weak and buckled beneath her. Memories. Things that she suppressed and tried to hide from. Things she never wanted to remember again. All came rushing back to her.   
  
"No..." She whispered as she held her head, images of fights and wars came flooding in.   
  
Ryo and Sage looked at each other and then slowly made there way to her. Not sure of what had happened to her. It could have been some kind of trick. Ryo reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder when Sage stopped him. He shook his head at Ryo showing him not to touch her. Ryo looked back at his sister as she began to tremble as if she were cold. He wanted to help her.   
  
"Katie?" She faintly heard Sage say her name, or at least she thought it was Sage. What is happening to me? She asked herself. She gripped her head tighter and screamed in agony.   
  
"Make it stop." She pleaded. "I don't want to see anymore." She trembled more and wrapped her arms around herself. Ryo couldn't take it anymore. He knelt beside her and put his arms around her, hugging her for the first time in weeks.   
  
"Its ok, Kate. I'm here." He said soothingly as he tried to comfort her. Sage looked at the two and frowned. Something about what was going on didn't seem right to him. "It's ok." He repeated, as he held her tight, not wanting to let her go.   
  
"No." She said quietly as she pushed herself away from him and stood.   
  
"No. I won't let you try and bring me back!" She shouted as she turned and ran out of the holding cell, slamming the door behind her.   
  
"Katie!" Ryo shouted after her. "Damn it! We were so close to getting her back!"   
  
Sage nodded as he laid a hand on Ryo's shoulder. "We will. Be patient." He said and stared at the door, their only way to freedom.   
  
~~~~~~~*********~~~~~~~*********~~~~~~~*********  
  
Reann stood wide eyed as she watched Katie run down the corridor. She had been standing outside of the door and had heard everything. Even when facing being turned to the dark side they still tried to bring her back. Why would they do that? She asked herself. This whole emotion thing was all new to her. She had watched them fight her, obviously holding back.   
  
"Why would they do that?" She said out loud, puzzled by what she had witnessed.   
  
She thought about going in and asking them, but quickly decided against it. She had been told by Katie to leave them to her. She may have been a risk taker on certain things, but ticking her off wasn't one she was willing to take. She turned and started down the corridor after her. She wanted to find out what was going on. Her curiosity had taken over and now her legs had a mind of there own. Not understanding why, she decided to let her legs control her and lead her.   
  
~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~*****  
  
Kento ran a hand through his ash blue hair as he sat down next to Kaye in the living room. Rowen had called a meeting and now all of the remaining ronins were gathering in the living room. He waited for everyone to have a seat before he started to talk.   
  
"Ok, we have a big problem. I think everybody here is aware that we are short two members of our team." He watched as everyone nodded his or her heads slowly. "We also have the new problem regarding Kaye. Not to mention the problem with Katie that seems to be slowly becoming more and more of a problem." He stopped and looked at everyone.   
  
"Do you guys even know if Ryo and Sage are ok?" Mia asked.   
  
"We can still sense them. It's very faint, but we can." Cye answered. "As long as we can still sense them then we know that they are ok."   
  
"For how long they will be safe, we don't know though." Rowen added as he sat down.   
  
"This is bogus guys. We're jus sittin round here while Ryo and Sage could be being tortured or worse! Not to mention that we're not even sure what Maguyser has planned for Kaye." Kento said from where he sat on the couch.   
  
"We want to do something Kento, but what? Do you want us to just rush into there again, that is if we could somehow get Tento to take us back there, and do what? We don't even know for sure what is going on." Rowen replied to Kento's outburst.   
  
"Yea, I guess you're right." He said as he looked down at his hands.   
  
"I think the best thing we can do now is find a way to get to Ryo and Sage. From there we can try and release Katie." Kaye spoke quietly.   
  
"The only way that you guys can get release Katie from Maguyser's grasp is for Kaye to use her Dragon's Song, right?" Mia asked them.   
  
Cye nodded, "Yes, but it would be difficult to do that now. Especially since Kaye isn't up to her full strength and all."   
  
"Cye has a point. Trying to get her back now would only result in more set backs and we can't afford to have any more." Rowen reasoned.   
  
"I don't care." Kaye said as she stood. "Ryo and Sage need our help and so does Katie! She wouldn't turn her back on us and chicken out. Even if the odds were stacked against her she would still try. If I've learned anything from her it's never to back down. I made a promise that I would get her back and by God I will." She said with determination. Her eyes flashed with a new sense of hope and courage. Mia looked up at her and smiled as the guys all nodded their heads.   
  
"Kaye's right. We can't let our friends down. I think its time we paid him a visit." Kento said as he stood. Cye and Rowen stood also renewed with a new sense of hope.   
  
"Next question is...... how do we get there?" Cye asked.   
  
"Easy. We simply call for Tento. He can take us back." Kaye answered simply.   
  
"Ok, before you all go off to fight I have to ask this." Mia said as she slowly stood and looked over at Kaye. "Are you sure that you're up for this?"  
  
Kaye nodded her head, "Yes. I have to take the risk. I'll be fine." Mia didn't look convinced but said nothing.   
  
"Ok then, tomorrow morning we will call for Tento. Tonight everyone needs to rest up." Rowen said and looked at everyone, making sure that they all understood.   
  
"Yea, tomorrow Maguyser won't know what hit him." Kento said as he balled his right hand into a fist and punched it into his left hand.   
  
Kaye nodded some and looked out the window, We're coming guys. Just hold on. She thought.   
  
~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********  
  
Reann walked down the corridor as she came upon a room off to her left. She walked slowly towards it. As she came closer to the room sounds like someone crying could be heard. Her curiosity getting the better of her she crept closer to the door and was met by a sight she never thought she would see. Katie was sitting on the floor of the room with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Tears ran down her face. She felt a pang of sadness for her. What's this? She thought.   
  
All these emotions were new to her. Humans got so emotional over things. She would never understand why. As far as she cared emotions were worthless things that got in the way of everything. The world and life would be a lot less complicated if no one had emotions. Then again being taught since a child to hide her emotions and bury them deep inside didn't have anything to do with that, right?   
  
Katie looked over in her direction and Reann froze. If she knew that she was there she gave no indication of it. She wiped away her tears that she had found on her face and tried to force herself to stand. Reann then noticed something different about her. She didn't look the same somehow. She couldn't put her finger on it though. She then looked over in her direction again as a smirk appeared on her face. I know you're there, Reann. Came floating across her mind. She cursed to herself for not being better at staying hidden.   
  
Just when she was contemplating walking in another person showed up. Maguyser appeared out of nowhere in the room. She watched as Katie looked over at him. She wondered why she didn't bow to him. Maguyser smiled some at her and walked over to her.   
  
"What's this?" He asked, perplexed as he wiped a tear from her cheek with his finger. "Have you been crying? How is this?" Katie remained quiet as she looked at the floor. Reann thought about walking in now and telling Maguyser about what had gone on, but for some odd reason her feet wouldn't work. It was like the connection between her brain and her feet had been lost.   
  
"Did those ronins do this? They had something to do with this didn't they?" He asked her as a look of rage passed over his face. She still said nothing as she then looked up at him. "I knew this would happen. I should have just killed them when I had the chance."   
  
"What's going on? Why are all these memories coming back to me?" Katie asked him, finally deciding to talk.   
  
"I'm not about to lose everything now when everything is going so right." He continued, ignoring her question. "There's only one way." He then turned to look at her again. Reann silently watched what was going on. He feet and legs still not working. "Do you want to forget it all? Do you want it all to stop?"   
  
She looked at him, pondering what it was he was saying to her. For some reason she had a sinking feeling that something wasn't right. Where that feeling came from she didn't know though. "Yes. Can you make it stop?"   
  
He smirked some as he took a few steps towards her. "Yes, I can make it stop." His eyes seemed to glow an iridescent red. She took a step away from him. "I can make you forget everything. I can shape you into the warrior that I know you can be. An emotionless assassin that will stop at nothing to get the job done. Oh yes, I can help you."   
  
Something about what he was saying to her made a little voice in her head tell her to run and run fast. She blinked, confused by what the voice was telling her to do. Why would she run? She looked over at him, wondering how he could make all that happen.   
  
She got her answer. His eyes glowed brighter as a black mist bellowed around him. The mist swirled around her, covering her whole body. It felt as if a ton of weights had been placed on her chest as the pressure grew. The mist choked her and it started to become harder to breath. A hot surge of pain shot through her and she let out a scream of pain as she held her self tightly. Maguyser watched with a glow of pure pleasure. Soon the black mist faded away and only Katie was left. She lifted her head and looked at Maguyser. Her eyes void of emotions. Reann looked at her and had to put a hand over her mouth to keep the scream from escaping. She turned then and silently but quickly ran from the room.   
  
I don't know what he did She thought to herself. But I can only think of two people right now who can possible help her. She thought to herself as she ran down the corridor, heading for the holding chambers. I don't want to do this, but I know that what he did was definitely not right. They at least need to know. She thought to herself as she continued to run down the corridor. 


	13. ch 13

Emotions Vs Power  
  
ch13  
  
Sage and Ryo looked up as they heard their cell door opening. The light in the corridor poured into the dark cell, making   
  
them shield their eyes for a split second before they could adjust their vision. "Who's there?!" Ryo demanded as the figure   
  
in the door walked in.  
  
"It's Reann." she replied as she partly closed the cell door.  
  
"What do you want?" Sage asked hotly.  
  
"I have some information that I thought you would like to know." Reann replied as she looked over at him.  
  
"I bet." Sage said as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Fine, if you don't want to know what Maguyser just did to Katie, then I guess..." Reann replied as she was about to leave.  
  
"No..Wait, what did Maguyser do to Katie?" Ryo asked in concern.  
  
"Ryo, are you crazy? What makes you think that whatever she says is true?" Sage asked in disbelief.  
  
Ryo glares at Sage, "Sage, Katie is the only family that I have left! So excuse me if I..."  
  
"Ryo, take it easy, I understand." Sage replied, "Alright, tell us what happened to Katie." Reann gave an about time look towards them and stated to explain what happened not too long ago. Needless to say that both of them were pretty ticked. Then when she was finished, she left the two Ronins alone.  
  
"When I get out of here..." Ryo started to say as he tugged at his chains.  
  
"You mean when we get out of here, don't you?" Sage asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yea, when we get out of here." Ryo replied.  
  
~~~~~~~~~***********~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Didn't get much sleep last night, did you?" Tento asked as he appeared out of nowhere.  
  
"What was your first clue?" Kaye asked back as she glanced over to him.  
  
"I work for the Elders, remember." Tento replied with a smirk.  
  
"Then you already knew that we were going to call for you this morning." Kaye said as she stayed where she was.  
  
"Yea we did," Tento replied, "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry for you know."  
  
"Yea well, it's not like you or the Elders would do anything to prevent it from happening." Kaye said as her temper was starting to show.  
  
"Look this isn't the time or place to get into it." Tento started to say.  
  
"For once, I actually agree with you." Kaye replied as she calmed down.  
  
"Kaye, there you are, sheesh, don't scare me like that, ok." Kento said as he and the others came outside.  
  
Kaye turned around and faced them, "sorry Kento, I didn't mean to scare you." she replied as she looked at them apologetically.  
  
"So then, are all of you ready to go?" Tento asked as he turned his back on them.  
  
"Yea! I'm ready to go and kick Maguyser's sorry ass!" Kento cheered as he punched his opened hand.  
  
"Fools, they don't realize what they are getting themselves into." Tento thought with a smirk as he glanced back. Kaye caught his glance, something about it made her feel uneasy. Tento smiled at her, as he noticed that she caught his glance. Kaye started to back away a bit, but in the process she ran into Cye.  
  
"Kaye, are you all right?" Cye asked as he turned around to face her.  
  
"Ah yea Cye, um, sorry for running into you, I guess that I should have watched where I was going." Kaye replied. Cye looked at her with a slight frown, he could see that her eyes were troubled by something.  
  
"Kaye, what's wrong?" Cye whispered to her.  
  
Kaye gave a quick look back towards Tento and then back to Cye. "I'm not sure, but I don't exactly trust him." Kaye whispered as she motioned over to Tento who was getting everyone ready to go. "I don't know why, but I have this feeling that he's up to something."  
  
"Hey, are you two coming or what?" Rowen asked as he looked over to them.  
  
"Yea Rowen we're coming," Cye replied and then looked towards Kaye again. "What do you mean?"   
  
"Do me a favor, and please keep an eye on him." Kaye whispered back as they joined the others.  
  
"Is everyone ready, now?" Tento asked as he looked towards Cye and Kaye skeptically. They both gave a quick nod, and then with a bright flash of light all of them were gone.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ryo, what are you doing?" Sage asked as he noticed that Ryo was looking around.  
  
"I'm trying to find something." Ryo replied as he continued to look.  
  
"What are you trying to find?" Sage asked as he was starting to get a little annoyed.  
  
"I'm trying to find something to pick these locks with. Now if you don't mind, it would go a lot faster if you would look around too." Ryo replied as he gave Sage an annoyed look.  
  
"Ok ok, sheesh, I'll help look." Sage said as he started to look as well. After about twenty more minutes of looking neither one of them found anything that they could pick their chains with.   
  
Not too far away, "Hey, I could get use to traveling like this." Kento said with a smirk. "It beats taking a subway."  
  
"Kento!" Rowen replied as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"What?" Kento asked as he looked over towards Rowen.  
  
"Never mind, "Rowen replied, "Come on, we'd better hurry up and get to finding Ryo and Sage."   
  
"Why don't you three go down that corridor," Tento suggested, and then he motioned over to the second one. "And the Dream Walker, and I will take this one."  
  
Kaye shot Cye a look that mainly said, bad idea. "I have a better idea, why don't we all just stick together. That way, Maguyser won't..." Cye started to say.  
  
"No, it'll be better if we split up, that way we'll be able to find your friends quicker." Tento interrupted as he quickly grabbed onto Kaye's wrist. Kaye tried to pull out of it, but he tightened his grip. In the torch lit corridors, the guys couldn't see Tento's eyes very well, but Kaye could, there was something in his eyes that sent all of her alarm bells off big time. Then just before Kaye could say anything, a wall shot up out of nowhere and separated them.   
  
"Kaye! Are you all right?! Kaye!" Kento yelled through the wall.  
  
"She's fine Hardrock, listen, since we're already split up, why don't we go ahead and look for your friends?" Tento asked as he was holding Kaye close to him, and covering her mouth tightly with his other hand.  
  
"If she's ok, then why did Tento answer for her?" Cye wondered as he was starting to get suspicious towards him.  
  
"Well, alright, I guess you do have a point. We need to find Ryo and Sage as quickly as possible. Be careful alright." Rowen   
  
yelled over to them.  
  
"We'll be careful, Strata. You three just go down that corridor, and we'll take this one, just like we planned before. Whoever finds them first, get back to the main room of where we first came here and we'll leave." Tento yelled back.  
  
"You have better take care of her!" Kento yelled as they took off in finding Ryo and Sage.  
  
"Oh don't you worry, Hardrock, I'll take very good care of her." Tento replied as he tightened his grip on her and vanished. When Tento got to where he wanted, he gave a quick nod of his head, and that opened the door to a small cell that he threw her into, and then it came shut.  
  
"Well done Tento, I see that you've brought the Dream Walker back." Maguyser said as he looked in.  
  
"It wasn't too hard, but I'm also here to inform you that the other Ronins are here, and they're searching for their two friends." Tento replied.  
  
"Excellent, that means that everything is coming together. Make sure that they find them, and continue with the plan." Maguyser ordered as he stayed behind.  
  
"Of course master." Tento replied with a bow as he, Katie, and Reann disappeared. 


	14. ch14

Emotions vs. Power  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Kento asked for the thousandth time since they had started on their search for the two ronins.   
  
Rowen sighed as he turned around to look at the impatient ronin, "Yes, Kento I am! Now if you ask me that again I will be forced t-"  
  
"Look!" Shouted Cye as he ran towards a door he had found. Rowen and Kento following closely behind him. They stopped in front of the door, not sure if they should go in or not.   
  
"Why we stopping? Let's go in!" Kento said as he pushed open the door before the other two could stop him.   
  
Light poured into the room for the second time that day and made the two occupants inside shield their eyes from the bright light. Groaning some in the process at being blinded.   
  
"Now who is it!" Shouted Sage angrily.   
  
"Well that was a nice hello blondie. And to think we came to save ya two hides." Kento said jokingly, making both of them look up at him in surprised confusion.   
  
"Kento!" They both shouted in unison.   
  
"What about us?" Rowen asked as he and Cye walked into the holding cell behind Kento.   
  
"Are we imagining this or are you three really here?" Ryo asked as he walked towards them.   
  
"We're real." Cye said happily.  
  
"Good, now you three can help us get out of here. We have got to stop Maguyser." Sage said as he came up behind Ryo.   
  
"He's going to pay for what he did to my sister." Ryo said in a low and dangerous voice as his tiger blue eyes flashed with an inner fire.   
  
"Whoa, now what happened?" Rowen asked as he began to pick the locks on the chains.  
  
"Maguyser basically possessed Katie when she started to turn back." Sage said with anger in his voice. "No telling what he will do now."   
  
"There." Rowen said when he had both chains picked.   
  
"Let's get out of here before anyone shows up." Cye said as he turned to leave.  
  
"Not so fast."   
  
"Too late." Kento said. "So much for the quiet part of our plan."  
  
Reann and Tento stepped into the holding cell. All five ronins stared at Tento as if not believing what they were seeing. He grinned at them, showing no remorse for what he had done.   
  
"How could you?!" Kento shouted at him, lounging for him.  
  
"Kento!" Rowen shouted at the outraged ronin as he grabbed him.   
  
Kento growled, "What did you do to Kaye you traitor?!"  
  
Tento smirked and took his time before answering, "She's where she belongs. Master Maguyser has big plans for her."   
  
"Why you little!" Kento shouted at the two as he threw Rowen off him, lounging at Tento. Tento's eyes flashed and before Kento knew what was going on he found himself flying backwards, heading for the wall.  
  
Reann laughed, grinning like a child on Christmas Day. "This ought to be a very interesting fight. How long do you think you all can last against us?"   
  
"Reann, our orders were to stop them from getting away. He never said to kill them." Tento said as he looked over at her.   
  
"Who said we were gonna kill them?" Reann asked innocently, her eyes flashing intently. "I jus wanna play with them."  
  
"Come on!" Ryo shouted at her, taking a fighting stance.   
  
"Ryo, you and Sage can't fight. You don't have your armors." Cye said, a worried expression on his face.   
  
"I don't care. We're not going to back down now, Cye." Sage said, determination in his voice.   
  
"Let's play, ronins." Reann said as she attacked the ronins, Tento following her actions soon after.   
  
~~~~**** ~~~~**** ~~~~****   
  
"Ow." Kaye grumbled as she groggily looked around the room. "Where am I?"   
  
"Well, how nice to see that you are awake, Dream Walker."  
  
"Huh? Wha?" Kaye stuttered, trying to get her eyes to focus.   
  
"Welcome to my humble home. I'm sure you will find it most uncomfortable." He said and laughed, seeming to think he was funny.   
  
"Maguyser?!" Kaye shouted when she had regained her vision. "How did I? How did you? Where's Katie!"   
  
Maguyser laughed and motioned to his right. "She is here." As if on command she walked out from the shadows. A dangerous smile on her on her once happy face. Kaye looked at her and gasped, knowing something wasn't right with her.   
  
"What did you do to her?!" She shouted angrily at him. Trying to get to him only to find that she was bound to the wall.   
  
"I don't think you should be too concerned with what I have done to her, but be more concerned about what I am going to do to you." Maguyser said as his eyes glowed red and Kaye screamed out in pain. He stopped and his eyes turned back to their normal color as he watched her try to regain her breath.   
  
"What do you want?" She got out in between gasps for air.   
  
"My, my." Maguyser said as he shook his head at her. "You really don't see it, do you?"  
  
"See what?"   
  
"I can't just have you out running around. Not when you hold the power to take someone from me. No, I can't do that."   
  
"Katie!" She shouted at her. "Wake up! Do something!"  
  
Maguyser laughed at her efforts, "Try all you like but she can't hear your pleads. She is mine and with you out of the picture that's the way it will stay." He said as his eyes once again glowed red and Kaye screamed out in pain.   
  
Kaye squeezed her eyes shut against the pain and bit her tongue to keep from screaming. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction in hearing her screams of pain. She opened one eye and looked over at Katie. The joyful smirk on her face made her stomach churn.   
  
Maguyser stopped and looked at her, a victorious expression on his disfigured face. "Now you see don't you?"   
  
"Katie please." Kaye said in a whisper, barely loud enough to hear. "You don't have to do this."   
  
Katie walked up to Kaye and slapped her, "Shut it already. I'm getting tired of hearing your pleads. It's making me sick." She said as she glared at her.   
  
Kaye looked up at her, a confused expression on her face. Her eyes searching for an answer as to why. Katie laughed and shook her head at her in disgust. "You're pathetic, Dream Walker. Don't you get it? I am no longer who you think I was."  
  
"I tried to tell you, Dream walker. You didn't care to listen to me and now you know first hand of what I was telling you." Maguyser said as he walked up next to Katie. "Now I think it is time that I made sure you were out of the way."   
  
"No." Kaye said as she shook her head in dismay.   
  
"Oh yes, I think having you trapped in an endless dream of tortures will do just nicely. Now sleep!" He said as he waved his hand at her. Almost immediately Kaye's eyes took on a far away look and her head slumped down.   
  
"One person out of my way. Now," He said as he turned to face Katie. "Go and take care of those meddlesome ronins." Katie bowed, turning and leaving the room.   
  
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****  
  
Rowen dodged an attack from Reann as he notched an arrow and fired it at her. She caught it, smiling as it disappeared from her hand. Rowen blinked in utter confusion as he stepped back away from her, regrouping with the others.   
  
"Dang." Cye uttered, looking from Reann to Tento.   
  
"I think we have a problem." Kento voiced.   
  
"You sure do, Hardrock."   
  
"Say wha?"   
  
"And I'm your new problem." Katie said as she walked out of the shadows. A deadly look shining in her eyes as she looked at the ronins. Reann backed away from her, a shiver running down her spine when she came close to her. There was something unnatural about her now, something that made her blood run cold when she came near her.   
  
"Katie!" Ryo shouted, as he was about to run over to her, only to be stopped by the others.  
  
"Ryo! You can't talk sense to her now! She'd only kill you." Sage said, his voice giving away the helplessness he felt.   
  
Katie laughed a very unlike her laugh and looked over at them. Her eyes piercing and unnatural to match the look on her face. "You three made a grave mistake in coming back here to get them. Now you will all die along with them."   
  
"I'm not dying here, but you are going down!" Kento shouted at her, grabbing his nagenta and charging at her.   
  
"Kento! Wait!" Rowen shouted at him, too late to stop him.   
  
Katie smirked and dodged his attacks. Kento brought his nagenta down on her and with lightning fast moves she moved out of the way and was behind him in split second. Before he knew what was happing he found himself coming face to face with the floor, a foot coming down on his face.   
  
"What was that about how I was going down?" She asked him, placing her foot harder on his face and smearing it into the floor. Kento let out a cry of pain and her smirk became wider.  
  
"Stop it sis!" Ryo shouted at her. "You're hurting him!"   
  
She laughed at what he had said, "Stop calling me that. Your sister is gone, Wildfire. And you will be joining her soon."   
  
Ryo looked at her with a stunned look in his eyes. Her words started to slowly sink in, as he finally comprehended them. He squeezed his eyes shut and balled a hand into a fist at his side. Sage laid a hand on his shoulder and he looked up again, a look of determination and rage set in his eyes.   
  
"We have to do what must be done. If it means hurting her in the process than do it." He said quietly, not taking his eyes from the person he once knew as his sister.  
  
The others looked at him sadly and then over at the three minions of Maguyser. Tento wore a smug look on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. Reann smirking, but there was something different about her smirk now. No longer did she have a sure, self-confident look. Now she looked confused and unsure.   
  
"Well, well, do the little ronins want to play?" Katie asked as she took her foot off of Kento's face.   
  
"I think it's time we shut them up for good." Tento said as he walked up to stand next to Katie. A look of pure superiority on his face.   
  
Katie looked back at Reann, "Well? Are you helping or not?"   
  
"Yea." She said and uncrossed her arms. "You guys go ahead and start. I'll come in later."   
  
"Fine." Katie replied and turned back to look at the ronins. "Now lets see. Do I want you?" She asked herself out loud as she pointed at Sage. "Or you?" She said again as she this time pointed at Ryo.   
  
Ryo swallowed the lump in his throat and brought his head up in a challenging manner, as he looked her directly in the eyes, "Your fight is with me."   
  
Sage walked up beside him, "And me." He looked over at Ryo and nodded his head to him, showing that he wasn't going to let him fight her alone. "This may be killing us inside to do Katie, but we're not going to stand by and let you win."   
  
She smirked to herself, "My, my, you two jus will not let her go. Sorry she can't say goodbye to you before you both die!" She shouted and leaped at the two ronins. Quickly engaging them in a fight.   
  
Reann stood by and watched as the fighting took place. She didn't understand what was wrong with her. She should have been fighting along side her two comrades but instead she stood off to the side. Unsure of herself and why she was fighting the ronins. She looked over at Ryo and Sage and couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Ryo had lost his sister while Sage lost someone he loved. She then looked over at Kento who was fighting Tento. Feeling bad for him as well, he had the job of trying to keep Kaye safe. She felt her heartache for the three, knowing they had all lost someone they cared for more than life its self.   
  
She shook her head trying to clear her mind of all her sympathetic thoughts. A scream of pain cut through the sounds of weapons clashing and fists connecting with flesh. She looked over in the direction of the scream; her heart started to pound when she saw Ryo on the ground. He was holding his side and looking up at Katie in a mix of horror and disbelief. Before she knew what she was doing her feet started to guide her over in that direction. Knocking Katie away from the two before she could finish them off.   
  
Katie looked at her confusion, "Reann, what do you think you're doing?"  
  
Reann helped Ryo up and turned to look at her, "Something I should have done a long time ago."   
  
"So now you're betraying us, Reann?" Tento asked, a look of outrage on his face.   
  
"Yes, I am. Don't you get it?! This is wrong! We shouldn't be doing this!" Reann shouted at them.   
  
"Get out of the way Reann, don't make have to hurt you." Katie said as she twirled her sai that was in her hand.   
  
"No, I won't." She said back.   
  
The ronins looked at Reann in disbelief. First she was an enemy who had tried to kill all of them at one point and time and now she was trying to help them? This was either some kind of trick or she had changed her mind about what she was doing.   
  
"You wanna stop me? Then you'll have to catch me!" She shouted to them as her and the ronins all disappeared from sight.   
  
Katie growled and threw her sai to the ground, "Damnit!"   
  
~~~*****~~~*****~~~*****~~~*****  
  
Reann appeared in the middle of the ronins front room with all them. She helped Ryo over to the couch where she gently sat him down. "I think you'll be ok." She turned around to meet the faces of four unconvinced ronins.   
  
"Hold it right their, lady. What are you up to?" Kento asked angrily.   
  
"Up to?" She asked, confused.   
  
"Don't play dumb with us. We know you're up to something." He continued.   
  
Reann sighed, "I see." She said and sat down slowly in a chair that was near her.  
  
Sage went over to Ryo to look over his wound, nodding to the others to show he would be ok. Kento went over to Reann and pulled her up out of her chair roughly by the shoulders, "Why did you help us? What do you got up your sleeve?!"   
  
"Kento!" Ryo shouted at him, gaining his attention. "Let her go."   
  
"But Ryo."   
  
"I said, let her go. She saved our lives; we owe her that much." Kento let go of her and Ryo leaned back some against the couch. "Why did you help us, Reann?"  
  
She looked over at him, wondering why she ever wanted to kill him and his friends. He was a nice guy. "I don't know to tell you the truth. I guess I just felt like it was the right thing to do."  
  
"I'll be right back." Sage said as he got up and exited the room.   
  
"Bullshit, I smell a rat." Kento said angrily from where he stood with his arms crossed.  
  
Reann sighed, Ryo looked over at her and then glared threatenly at Kento. Warning him to not say anything else. "I don't know why you helped us Reann, but..... thank you."   
  
She looked up at him, surprised he had said that to her. "Um, I guess the right thing to say would be you're welcome?"   
  
Ryo smiled at her as the rest of the ronins relaxed and began to think that maybe she hadn't had a plan. That maybe she had changed her mind about them and was only trying to help. Sage came back down and started to clean up Ryo's wound as Ryo relaxed and the others tried to think of someway to get two of their friends back. 


	15. ch15

Emotions Vs Power  
  
ch 15  
  
"You knew that Reann was going to turn traitor!" Tento yelled enraged.  
  
"What!? Are you out of your mind? I didn't know that she was going to switch sides!" Katie yelled back.  
  
"What's with all of the yelling in here?" Maguyser asked as he entered the room. He looked around and saw only two instead of three of his fighters. "Where's Reann?" Katie and Tento cringed a bit, because both of them knew that they had to inform him, or otherwise he would find out for himself.  
  
"Master...Reann switched sides. She's with the Ronins now as we speak." Tento replied as he braced himself for Maguyser to release his anger.   
  
"It doesn't matter, she was useless anyway. I have what I want, but unfortunately, only part of my revenge is completed." Maguyser said as he paced through the candle lit room.  
  
"Only part, master?" Katie asked in slight confusion.  
  
"Yes, the only part of my revenge that's missing is the destruction of the Ronin Warriors. I have my warrior back, and I have the one person that can change that being held captive in the dream of tortures. It's been a while since I've used that particular spell. I'm surprised that it actually works." Maguyser replied with a laugh.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Fuming as he was pacing the room, trying to calm himself down, but he knew that he wouldn't calm down until he had Kaye back safe and sound. Reann watched Kento as he paced, Kento saw that she was watching him. So he threw her an angry glare and a low growl in his own way that he doesn't trust her at all.   
  
Reann looked away, and Kento continued to pace. "I don't blame him. Why would he want to trust someone that hurt the one that he cares about. I know that I wouldn't want to either." Reann thought to herself.   
  
"So now what? We can't just stay here and keep hidden!" Sage asked as he was starting to get just a little annoyed.   
  
"I know Sage, but until we come up with how to find Kaye, and get her and Katie back, we're staying." Ryo replied as he closed his eyes.  
  
"But Ryo, the only one that can get Katie back is Kaye." Cye said as he glanced over towards Kento. As soon as her name was said, he stopped pacing and slammed his fist into the wall.  
  
"Damn!" Kento swore angrily as he pulled out his hand from the giant hole.  
  
"Kento!" Rowen scolded with a slight frown.  
  
"What! I'm not going to apologize for my actions, Rowen, so forget it!" Kento replied as he glanced over at him.  
  
"Guys knock it off! We can't afford to fight among us. That's exactly what they want us to do. Don't you see that?" Cye asked as he was trying to calm them down.  
  
"Yea." Kento replied as he sighed. "Sorry Rowen."  
  
"I'm sorry to Kento. I...We all know how concerned you are about Kaye, so are we. Don't worry, we'll find her, ok." Rowen said as he looked over to him. Kento nodded to show that he understood.  
  
"We might as well assume that Maguyser knows that Kaye is the only one that can bring Katie back, right." Sage said as he decided to change the conversation a bit.  
  
"Yea, so then that doesn't give us much time." Ryo replied as he finally stood up.  
  
"Wait, you're not thinking of going out there and trying to find them on your own, are you?" Reann asked urgently.  
  
"Yea, what's it to you anyway?" Kento snapped back.  
  
"It's just that I think that it'll be quicker if I helped you find your way around here, that's all." Reann replied as she got in front of them.  
  
"Yea right. like we're going to trust you! As far as we know, you'll turn on us as soon as you get the chance!" Kento said angrily.  
  
"Look, I don't care that you trust me or not! I didn't have to save your friend's life back there! I could have just let her kill him off, but I didn't!" Reann snapped back.  
  
"Hey, hey! That's enough! We're wasting more and more time standing here and listening to the two of you argue! Now either you two can bury it or we can just waste even more time! It's your choice, so what's it going to be?" Ryo asked as he was more than just a little annoyed.  
  
"Alright, alright, but if you even think of betraying us, then you'll be sorry, you got me." Kento warned as he glared at her.  
  
"Yea I got ya. Now let's go already. I'm getting bored just standing here." Reann replied as she lead them out.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
In Kaye's mind...Smoky images of people glided all around her like ghosts. Some of those images passing through her, making her become cold. Kaye dropped to her knees as she wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering from the immense cold. She tries to get up, but each time Kaye does, she falls back down again. Haunting voices of people being in pain and suffering echo through out her mind. "Stop it! Please, no more!" Kaye pleads in a shaky voice as she keeps on trying to stand. Just then, Kaye's kanji of determination started to glow. The smoky images started to back away into the shadows. As soon as they were far enough away, Kaye finally could stand. She started to walk again in no particular direction. She knew that this was only the beginning of what Maguyser had planned. But what did he have planned anyway? She wasn't sure, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.   
  
"I don't know if you can hear me, but please hurry, Kento." Kaye thought as her kanji faded.  
  
"Kaye?" Kento asked quietly as he suddenly stopped, making them run into him.  
  
"Kento?" Cye asked as he looked at him with concern.  
  
"I heard her, or at least I think I did." Kento replied as he slightly frowned.   
  
"This way." Reann said as she directed them down a corridor that lead to where Kaye is being held. As she glanced back she noticed that they were still standing there. "Well, are you coming or what? You want your friend back right?"  
  
"Yea, of course we do. What kind of question is that?" Rowen asked in slight annoyance.  
  
"Never mind." Reann replied as she shook her head and continued to lead them. They went a bit further down the corridor, until they came upon a door that seemed to be blocking them from continuing on any further.  
  
"Great, so now what?" Kento asked as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Now we go in, it was open." Reann replied as she pushed the door open. The huge metal door creaked, as it slowly opened.   
  
The guys cringed as the door creaked.  
  
"Loud enough?" Sage asked sarcastically as they went inside.   
  
"It's too dark, and too quiet, I don't like this at all." Rowen said with a bit of uneasiness.   
  
"I know what you mean, Rowen. I don't like it either." Sage replied as they all cautiously continued their way inside.   
  
"What the..?" Kento asked as he squinted in order to see. "Kaye?"   
  
"Kento, wait!" Ryo called out to him as Kento ran over to her. Ignoring Ryo, Kento kept running towards her. When he finally made it to Kaye, he stopped.  
  
"Don't worry, angel, everything is going to be alright." Kento whispered her nickname to her as he was looking for a key, or anything that would free her. As he continued to look, he noticed that she gave no indication of a response, verbal or otherwise. "Angel? Guys, something's wrong!"  
  
The others quickly ran over to them. "Kento, what's wrong?" Cye asked in concern.  
  
"Kaye's not responding." Kento replied quietly.  
  
"Kento, move." Sage said as he guided him out of the way. Sage frowned slightly as he began to look her over. He couldn't really see anything wrong with her per say. But when he got to her eyes, he backed away.  
  
"Sage?" Ryo asked in concern.  
  
"Her eyes..." Sage replied in shock.  
  
"What about her eyes Sage?" Cye asked as he looked at him. "Sage?"  
  
"See for yourself." Sage replied quietly.  
  
Cye frowned at him, and then he looked closely at Kaye's eyes. "Oh God...She's not..."  
  
"No Torrent, Dream Walker isn't dead. Well not yet anyway, we'll see what happens when the master is done with her, then we'll see if she's dead or not." Tento replied as he and Katie came in blocking their only way out. 


	16. ch 16

Emotions Vs. Power  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Maguyser laughed wickedly as Tento and Katie stood by his side. Tento smirked smugly at the ronins about something he obviously knew of. Katie stood wearing the same ninja outfit she had on before as she placed a hand on her hip and smiled at the ronins, happy that her new play toys had come back to play. Kento growled and took a step towards the three, "What did you do to Kaye?!" He demanded to know.  
  
"The Dream Walker? I just put her in an endless dream of tortures, nothing to worry about." Maguyser replied calmly and laughed more.   
  
Kento growled more at his statement, balling his hand into a fist at his side. This guy was seriously starting to push his buttons to the limit, "Release her now!"  
  
Maguyser and his two minions laughed at his comment, "Well you are good for something Hardrock, a laugh that is." Maguyser said, smiling at the glare Kento gave him.   
  
Katie took a step towards the Ronins and Reann, still smiling brightly about something only she knew of, "Well Reann, what's it like being on the losing side?"  
  
Reann squared her shoulders and looked Katie directly in the eye, "The way I see it, you're the one on the losing side so why don't you ask yourself that question, Katie?"  
  
"That's enough out of you, Reann! Tento, Katie kill them all!" Maguyser shouted his orders and vanished from the room.  
  
Katie took her sais from her sides and twirled them, laying cold eyes on Reann as she pointed the one in her right hand at her, "You're mine, Reann."  
  
Reann took a fighting stance and held her challenging look, "Bring it if you got it, Katie."   
  
Katie couldn't help but let a predatory smile curl at her lips at Reann's less than confident challenge. Reann could be such a fool at times and her foolishness was going to get her killed ---right her and right now. "You're going to die, and by my blade Reann." She threatened her, "Then I'll get the rest of them when I'm done with you." She pointed her sai in the general direction of the Ronins.   
  
Reann couldn't help but laugh at her. Her words held so much confidence but no action to back it up with. Sure she could say she was going to take them all down but in reality, she wasn't even going to come close to it. Katie had no idea of what was in store for her. "Your pride has always been your downfall, Katie." She calmly stated to her, "You can say whatever you want to, but in reality --it's not going to happen."  
  
Katie chortled wickedly at her. An unnatural smile played on her lips, "Talk, talk, talk and more talk is all you've ever been about, Reann. You're a disgrace to the demon race and to master Maguyser." She cockily remarked to her.  
  
Reann felt her blood start to boil at her comment. How dare she call her that, she had been nothing but loyal to Maguyser all the years she had been under his rule. Only now had she ever thought of betraying him and it was all to save her. Katie, her one and only friend. No, this person was not her friend. This person was a heartless warrior who could care less what happened to her. "No." She said firmly, "You are the disgrace, Katie. A disgrace to your brother, family and friends. Can't you see what you're doing is wrong?"  
  
"Enough talk." Tento said finally, "Talking won't save any of you from dying."  
  
"Just maybe delay it for a while." Katie added.  
  
"Nobody's dying today." Ryo spoke up, "But you, Tento, and your master!"  
  
Tento laughed at him. "Such silly words, but whatever keeps you going." He smirked suddenly, "May I remind you, Wildfire, that you and Halo do not have you're armors. This fight will be pointless for you two."  
  
Ryo's shoulders slumped at hearing the truth. He was right after all; he and Sage really had no chance against him and Katie without the armors. If only they could get them back somehow. Sage stepped up to stand next to Ryo, a fierce light burned in his violet eyes. "It doesn't matter if we have those armors or not Tento. We will defeat you." He replied in nothing more then pure confidence.  
  
"Whatever you say, it means nothing to me. It's all just talk in my eyes." Tento replied while grabbing the sword off his back. "Quit stalling and start killing, Katie."  
  
Katie glared at him in a threatening challenge, "Don't order me around, Tento. May I remind you that you're lower ranking then I am amigo." Her words dripped with sarcasm and an almost daring look was in her eyes. It was almost as if she were daring him to order her to do something again.   
  
Tento backed down from saying anything else to her. Instead he turned his attention on the Ronins. "Now let's see. Who shall I have the pleasure of killing?" He thought to himself out loud.  
  
"You're mine, Tento. I got a score to settle with you." Kento spoke, anger evident in his voice.   
  
"Well now, I at least have one already. Now who else?" Tento pondered to himself.  
  
"Reann, Wildfire and Halo are all mine. The rest are yours, touch any of the ones I called and you will seriously regret it, Tento." Katie answered for him.  
  
"Fine," He replied, becoming annoyed with her and the fact that he had to fight any of them. "You Ronins ready?"  
  
Cye, Rowen, and Kento raised their weapons to ready positions, preparing to engage in a fight with Tento. Kento smirked and narrowed his eyes at him, he had a grudge against Tento and nothing was going to get in his way of taking care of that; nothing. Rowen glanced over at Ryo and Sage. He was worried about them, they had no armor and to make matters worse ---they had to fight Katie. Before any of them could blink Tento had swooped down upon them and the fight was on.  
  
Katie twirled her sais in a bored fashion, while she kept her eyes glued to Reann. This is what it all comes down to. She thought to herself. She could take down Ryo and Sage no problem, but Reann may prove to be a little more of a challenge. Lets just face it, Ryo and Sage are helpless without their armors and to top it off ---they had no weapons either. Hand to hand combat is what it would come down to with them and that, she thought with a smile, would be the easiest way to kill them.   
  
Reann took her usual fighting stance, keeping her eyes focused on Katie. The number one key to winning a fight was to always maintain eye contact with your foe. Break eye contact and you lose, that's the way she had been taught. "Ryo, Sage, leave her to me." She coldly said to them while keeping her back turned to them and her focus on Katie.  
  
"What?" Sage responded, stunned at what she had said.  
  
"You and Ryo have no armor and really stand no chance against her." She explained to him, "Stay out of my way and leave her to me."  
  
"No," Ryo said, standing his ground. "She's my sister and there for I have to fight her. I can't let you do this on your own."  
  
"Ryo,"   
  
"No, Reann." He repeated, his eyes burning with an inner fire. "I don't care what my odds are, I'm going to take them." He looked over at Sage who gave a nod to what he was saying.  
  
"How touching." Katie said, her words grating and cold. "Are you three done yet or can I just start killing you all now?"  
  
Reann turned her head to face her again, her eyes narrowed in a not-so-amused glare. "Yea we can start now. You and me. Leave Ryo and Sage out of this." She replied to her.  
  
"Oh don't worry." Katie said, smiling dangerously. "Once you're gone you won't have to worry about what happens to them."  
  
"I doubt that will happen."   
  
Katie smirked, "I don't doubt, I just know." She replied and lunged at her, sais outstretched and ready to strike.   
  
Reann dodged her attack and came at her from the back. Katie was quicker and slipped away from her with remarkable speed. Stunned, Reann didn't know how to react ---Katie did though. While Reann was still trying to figure out where she had gone to, Katie came at her from the back. Reann sensed her oncoming attack and dodged her, just barely though. Reann jumped back away from Katie to regroup her thoughts. She was good, armed she was even better, but Reann new her weaknesses. No wait, she knew the other Katie's weaknesses. This Katie was not the same one she had known for so long. This one was an imposter who knew no limits.  
  
"This is just too easy." Katie gloated to herself, "Maybe I shouldn't even use my sais. Give you more a chance maybe?"   
  
"Afraid to fight me without them, Katie?" Reann taunted back, "You know you'll lose without them don't you?"  
  
Katie smirked and twirled her sais, replacing them back on her belt that went around her waist. "I don't need any weapons to take care of you, Reann. In fact, I think I'll get more satisfaction out of killing you with my own two hands." She replied coldly, her eyes sparkling with an odd excitement.   
  
Reann couldn't help but smile to herself at knowing her plan to get her to unarm herself had worked. Now the odds are a little more even. She thought to herself. "You ready to go down, Katie?" She asked her.  
  
Katie grinned like a kid in a candy store and came at Reann again. This time Reann was ready for her. She blocked her attack with her arm and then brought her left foot up in an attempt to kick her. Katie for saw her attack and dodged it with ease, grabbing onto the arm she had blocked her first attack with and swinging her around. Reann went with the flow of motion and swung right back around to meet her face to face, throwing off what she had planned. Instead she swung Katie's arm behind her and was about to ram her into the wall when Katie used the momentum and scaled the wall, somersaulting over Reann's shoulder ---ramming her into the wall and listening to a sickening crack ring out, signaling she had dislocated Reann's shoulder blade.   
  
Reann cried out in agony making Katie grin in nothing more than glee from hearing it. Desperate, Reann did the only thing she could think of to get Katie away from her. Taking her left foot she hooked it around Katie's ankle, trying to trip her. It worked, but not the way she had intended it to. When she yanked her foot out from under her, Katie only caught herself by backhand springing away from her. Didn't matter though. It gave Reann the time she needed to snap her shoulder back into place. Gritting her teeth she slammed her shoulder against the wall again, screaming as pain racked her body again.   
  
Shaking it off she turned back to face her appoint. Katie smiled at her suffering, thoroughly enjoying herself. Reann came at her again with a series of kicks and punches that Katie only either dodged or reflected. Having enough of it being one sided; Katie spun around with a roundhouse kick to the head aimed for Reann. Reann caught her foot and smirked at the surprised expression she had on her face when she did.   
  
"Had enough?" She asked her sweetly.  
  
Katie smirked, and swung her body around. Kicking Reann in the face with her other foot while she still held the other one. "I'm just getting started." She replied low and dangerously to Reann who was now sprawled out on the ground.   
  
Reann shook her head to clear her vision of the fuzziness she was now seeing. Looking over to her right she saw Tento. Nothing out of ordinary about him, except for the two glowing orbs that protruded from his pocket. Realizing what they were she got up in an attempt to get to him. So much for that idea. Katie came out of no where and cut her off before she could even take two steps towards him.   
  
"Going somewhere?" Katie asked her calmly as if she were just having an every day conversation with her.   
  
Reann tried to elbow her but Katie only dodged it and sunk her fist into her stomach in a blow that knock the wind out of her, sending her to her knees. Before Katie could deal the final blow someone knocked her to the ground. That someone turned out to be Sage who held her to the ground in a tight lock.   
  
She wiggled and tried to break free but he only held onto her tighter. "She ok Ryo?" He yelled over his shoulder.  
  
Ryo knelt down next to Reann and looked her over. "Yea," He said finally, "I think she'll be fine."  
  
"Good." He responded and turned back to Katie who was not looking too happy at the moment with her predicament. "Now as for you, I think its time you snapped back to reality."  
  
Katie smirked cockily at him. "And just how are you going to do that?" She taunted him, "Awaken me with love's true kiss?" She laughed wickedly. "Wake up and smell the roses Romeo. She's gone so just give it up already. There's nothing you can do to bring her back!"  
  
"You're wrong!" He replied stubbornly, not wanting to believe anything she was saying to him.   
  
"Fine," She said and shrugged lightly," I guess you're just one of those guys who have to learn everything the hard way."  
  
Reann looked over at Tento and the fight that was going on between him and the other Ronins then back at Ryo. "Ryo, Tento has Sage and yours armor orbs."  
  
"What? How?"   
  
"I saw them." She continued, "They're in his pocket. If only I could get to them somehow."  
  
"No way. You're hurt as it is." Ryo replied with a shake of his head.  
  
"Sage has Katie distracted at the moment so I won't have to worry about her. If I can get to him before he knows what's happening then I can get them and to you guys without him even knowing it."   
  
"Reann are you even listening to me?" He asked and then continued before she could respond. "You can't do it; it's too dangerous."  
  
"Ryo it's the only way." She replied. "You two need your armors."  
  
"Yea but-"  
  
"No buts," She said and stood up. "I'm getting them." Turning from him she sought out Tento. Finding him in the middle of taking on Kento and Cye she made her way stealthily towards him. Coming up from behind him while he was busy she made a quick swipe for his pocket. Knocking the two glowing orbs from the pocket she grabbed them, making a hasty retreat away from him.   
  
Tento turned around in time to see what she had done but couldn't do anything about it since he had three Ronins to attend to at that moment. Forgetting about Reann and the orbs she had stolen from him he returned to his battle.   
  
Reann grinned from ear to ear and held up the orbs. "Hey guys!" She shouted to gain Ryo and Sage's attention. "Did you guys want these?"   
  
Ryo could only smile. Sage looked up at her and was amazed to see what it was she was holding. Reann tossed the orbs to them. Almost at the same time, they both latched onto their own orb and were clad in under armor in no time. Katie got to her feet and cursed under her breath. Her plan to get rid of Reann and the two Ronins had just now been shot all to pieces.   
  
"And now the fun begins." Ryo said before he shouted his call to arms. "Armor of Wildfire... Dao Jin!"  
  
Sage followed suit after him shouting, "Armor of Halo.... Dao Chi!"  
  
The Ronins who had been fighting stopped when the familiar call to arms rang through out the room. Relief washed over them at the turn of events. Finally things were starting to look on the bright side for them. With things the way they had been going the bright side was sure a good side to see again.  
  
Before anymore fighting could take place a blinding bright light came through the ceiling of the room and hit the floor right in front of Ryo and Sage. A small orb floated in the middle of the light. The orb glowed and sailed over to Katie who looked a little more than baffled by its actions. Everyone watched as the armor of Crystal formed its self on Katie without her even summoning it. The last thing anyone saw was a bright light envelop her and the entire room.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
Where am I? What is this place? What happened to me?   
  
It is time to come back and take rightful control back over. A voice said to her.  
  
Who's there? Show you're self!   
  
A bright light shined in the distance and she looked over in that direction. Curious as to what the light could be. The light almost seemed to be calling to her, beckoning her over to it. The light seemed oddly familiar to her for some reason. Cautiously she walked towards this glowing light. Not sure if it was some kind of trick or not.   
  
Do not be afraid young one. It is time for you to come back. To come back to the people who love you, the people who care about you and are very worried about you.   
  
How.... How do I do that?   
  
Walk into the light and everything will be clear to you.  
  
Trusting the voice she did as it had instructed her to do. Taking a deep breath she stepped into the light and immediately felt renewed and restored. It felt like she was falling forever in that light before the falling stopped and she knew she had found her way back.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
The light pulsed and then died down to nothing as it finally left. Leaving behind a now free Katie in her Crystal armor. Feeling drained and exhausted beyond belief the Crystal armor disappeared from her, leaving her in her ninja outfit as she collapsed to the floor in one massive heap. Its job done it was no longer needed nor could she sustain the armor in her weakened state.   
  
Not quite believing what had just happened everyone stood in shock for what seemed like an eternity before Ryo finally broke from his stupor and ran to his sister's side. "Katie!" He shouted, "Oh Gods, please let her be all right."  
  
Sage followed not shortly after him. Checking her over to make sure she had a pulse. Finding one he thanked the Gods, "She has a pulse. I think she was just overloaded. She'll be out for a while."  
  
Ryo didn't even seem to have heard him. All he could do was hold his sister in a tight hug, something that he hadn't been able to do in a while, as tears of joy streamed down his face. Reann smiled lightly and collapsed to the ground. Her whole body hurt and her legs were now too weak to sustain her anymore.   
  
Tento looked on in disbelief and then left before anything could have been done to him. 


	17. ch 17

Emotions Vs Power  
  
ch 17  
  
"Come on, we have to get out of here." Rowen said as he was looking around at the destroyed room. "Who knows what's going to happen when Tento comes back with Maguyser."  
  
"What?! Rowen, there's no way that I'm going to leave Kaye here in her condition!" Kento bellowed out angrily.  
  
"Kento, we don't have a choice. We have to go." Sage replied as he glanced over to him.  
  
"No! I said that I'm not going to leave her!" Kento shot back.  
  
"Kento..." Cye replied as he put a supporting hand onto his shoulder. "None of us are exactly thrilled about leaving Kaye here either. But we have to regroup and figure things out. Besides, the only one that knows how to get Kaye back is Maguyser, and we know that he's not going to even consider doing it."  
  
Kento growls angrily, and then yells, "damn it!" Cye pulls his hand back, incase he's forced forward from Kento's momentum.   
  
Kento slowly walked over to Kaye, he lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. "We'll be together again, I'll find a way, I promise." he said as he had one final look and then took off with the others.  
  
"Kento..." Ryo said as they were heading back to the hidden room where Reann showed them the first time.   
  
"Just leave me alone Ryo." Kento replied in a quiet anger. Ryo and Sage glanced over at each other. They all knew how hard it was for him to leave her behind like that, but unfortunately, it was the only option that they had. As soon as they got back, Ryo laid Katie down onto a couch, and Reann onto the other one that was a crossed from it.   
  
Kento kept himself away from the others, he didn't want anyone to talk to him at all. "Since Ryo and Sage have their armors back, and that we have possibly two more on our side, then I would say that we have a better chance of winning." Rowen said as he analyzed the situation.  
  
"That may be true Rowen, but we need a plan first before we do anything else." Sage replied as he was healing Katie and Reann. Cye looked over to Kento, he hated seeing his best friend being so torn up inside. He wanted to go over to him and tell him that everything will be alright. That everything will work out, but deep down, Cye wasn't even sure about it himself.   
  
'Come on, get it together. Your kanji is trust, you can't lose faith now or it's all over.' Cye thought as he scolded himself.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inside of Kaye's mind..."Dream Walker, why don't you stop fighting? You know that it's useless to continue." Maguyser taunted.  
  
"I'll never stop fighting...My friends..." Kaye replied.  
  
"Your friends have deserted you." Maguyser said as he cut her off.  
  
"No! They haven't, they wouldn't!" Kaye replied angrily.  
  
"But they did, why do you think that you're still here with me? Even your love has abandoned you. They knew that it was hopeless to get you back, so now you're with me forever." Maguyser taunted with a laugh.  
  
"No! Kento would never..." Kaye shot back.  
  
"If he didn't abandon you, then why are you still here?" Maguyser asked. "Well..?" he raises an eyebrow at her.   
  
Kaye looked up towards him with a glare and a glint of strong determination in her eyes. "He'll come for me, and so will the others. You'll see."  
  
"How do you know this for sure? How do you know that they won't just give up and go back without you?" Maguyser taunted.  
  
"Because, deep down I know that they won't give up on me, and they know that I won't ever give up on them." Kaye replied unwavering, as her kanji of determination flared up, making Maguyser fall back from her a bit.  
  
"Believe in what you will, but know this, in the end it will make no difference!" Maguyser seethed as he vanished, leaving Kaye alone to continue with the endless dream of tortures.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In Katie's dream..."Hello Katie of the Crystal, welcome back. We've missed you." a voice said. Katie whirled around to see who was talking to her.  
  
"Elders!" Katie replied in a happy voice. "It's good to be back."   
  
"Unfortunately, this is a short visit. We're here to inform you that if you and the others don't hurry to set free the Dream Walker from her endless dream of tortures, then Maguyser would win, and pitch the entire world into an endless darkness." the first elder warned.  
  
"But how? I thought that only Maguyser knew how to break his hold over Kaye. Is there another way that you're not telling me?" Katie asked.  
  
The Elders looked around at each other, "yes there is another way, but it involves you, your brother and a new armor that the two of you shall share." the second elder replied.  
  
"What do you mean...A new armor?" Katie asked in curiosity.  
  
"It's called the Armor of the Phoenix. It's very powerful, but only two people that are of blood relation can use it." the third elder replied.  
  
"That explains why you said that it involves me and Ryo." Katie said as she was starting to understand.  
  
"Yes, but it will only respond if the two of you work together, otherwise..." the first elder replied.  
  
"Otherwise...Otherwise what?" Katie asked as she was starting to get annoyed.  
  
"Otherwise, the armor will disappear and be rendered useless, and further more, if you two don't, then there's the possibility that the Dream Walker will never be freed." the second elder replied.   
  
"No, I won't allow that to happen!" Katie said angrily.  
  
"We thought that you would say something like that." the third elder replied. "Here, take this, it's the orb to the Phoenix armor." The orb floats down in front of Katie, she grabs it and then looks towards the Elders.  
  
"Good luck, Katie of the Crystal." the first elder said as they vanished from her dream.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Come on Katie, wake up already." Ryo said as he was squeezing her hand. Just as he said that, Katie's eyes shot open. "Katie?"   
  
"Ryo?" Katie asked with a frown as she finally sat up.   
  
"Katie, are you alright? You had us worried sick!" Sage asked as he hurried over to the couch.  
  
"I'm alright." Katie replied as she looked over towards her closed hand. Katie slowly opened it and there inside was the orb to the Phoenix armor.  
  
"What is that?" Sage asked as he got everyone's attention.  
  
"I guess that it wasn't only a dream." Katie replied quietly.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Cye asked in slight confusion.  
  
"This, the Elders came to me in my dream and told me about this. It's the orb to the Phoenix armor." Katie replied as she was showing them.  
  
"Whoa, whoa wait a minute there's another armor?" Rowen asked with a frown.  
  
"Seems like it, but I don't see why we should be surprised." Sage replied as he sat down next to her.  
  
"What did the Elders say, Katie?" Cye asked as he decided to get the ball rolling. Katie took a deep breath and started to explain everything that took place in her dream.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me?!" Ryo asked as he looked over to his sister.  
  
"I'm not, Ryo, if we don't pull together, the armor won't work, Maguyser will pitch the world into total darkness forever, and Kaye won't ever be freed. So what do you say, Ryo, are you willing to give it a shot?" Katie explained as she looked over towards her brother.  
  
Ryo looked around at everyone, and then his sights landed onto Kento. He could see the pleading look in Kento's eyes. Then he looked back towards Katie. "Yeah, I'm in." Ryo replied as he stood up, walked over to Kento, and placed a reassuring hand onto his shoulder. "Don't worry Kento, we'll get Kaye back. Trust me."  
  
Kento gave a small relieved smile, "I do trust you Ryo."   
  
"Well it's about time that we got some news. I was starting to get bored just laying here." Reann said as she stood up. "What? Don't look so surprised, I want to kick Maguyser's sorry ass just as much as the rest of you. So then what are we waiting for, an invitation?" 


	18. ch 18

Emotions Vs. Power  
  
Chap 18  
  
Tento scrambled into the throne room where he found Maguyser sitting happily upon his throne. Talking out loud to himself about what he was going to do when the world was finally his. He looked up at Tento when he noticed him standing in the doorway, breathing heavily and looking like he had just been in a very bad dog fight. "What happened? Where is my warrior?" He queried him, his voice rising in agitation.   
  
"She's," Tento wheezed out, "back with the Ronins, my Lord."  
  
Maguyser curled his fists into tight balls and his eyes glowed red. Now he was beyond the point of being mad, he was just enraged. Everything he had worked so hard to obtain was now threatened of being destroyed. He had lost his best warrior again to them and to make matters worse --- Reann had joined the Ronins side as well. "How did you let this happen?!" He yelled in outrage at him.  
  
Tento winced at his voice, backing down slightly from him. "Master there was nothing I could have done. They did something, somehow she got her armor orb back. There was nothing I could do." He desperately tried to excuse his mishaps.  
  
Maguyser laughed bitterly to himself. "Those Elders, when will they ever learn to stop meddling?" He growled out, "I should have known they wouldn't sit back and let me just take her and win."  
  
"We can still win." Tento spoke up suddenly, "She's weakened greatly, I mean when she had been released she fainted on the spot and those Ronins will be no problem to take care of."  
  
Maguyser looked at Tento with nothing short of curiosity at his words. "Yes, it would make sense that she would be and you're right, the Ronins will be no problem, but they have that traitor Reann now." He replied.  
  
"But we have someone they want."  
  
Maguyser smiled brightly at his words. He was right, they still had the Dream Walker and as long as they had her they still held the upper hand. None of them would take the chance on hurting her and without a mind reading ability they couldn't free her. Well, almost none of them. He thought bitterly. Katie had the mind reading ability that was needed to break his hold on Kaye, but with her significantly weakened at the moment she should be no threat. "Are they still here?" He asked.  
  
Tento nodded slowly, afraid that he might enrage him. "Yes, they are. They had to regroup and rest up." He responded slowly.  
  
Maguyser smiled as the beginnings of an evil plot started to unfold in his mind. What do I really have to fear from those fools? They don't even stand a chance against me with the way things are going for them. So what if they have got her back again. She's of no help to them now. As for Reann, He laughed to himself, traitors always get their fair pay back in the end. "Regroup and rest did they? Well let them rest and then come." He drawled out, setting back upon his throne with a sinister smile.   
  
"Let then come?" Tento repeated as if he hadn't heard him right.  
  
"Yes, let the poor fools come. They can't stop me." Maguyser answered, "All they'll be doing is saving me the trouble of having to find them."  
  
"But sir, are you sure that is a smart idea?"  
  
"Are you questioning me, Tento?" His eyes glowed red and Tento backed down, lowering his head in shame. "Make sure that they don't get any where near that Dream Walker. In fact, bring here so that we can make sure they don't get to her."  
  
"Yes, my Lord." Tento replied, turning to follow out his orders.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Katie walked away from the others over to a quiet area of the room they were in. Her mind was racing with all the things she had done or been doing over the past almost month. She sighed with nothing less than disgust at herself for being so weak as to let Maguyser use her like that again. To think that she had become his little puppet again and almost killed the very people she loved and swore to protect made her sick to her stomach. How could I have ever brought myself to call him master again? She physically shuddered at the thought.  
  
A soft hand gently touched her shoulder, startling her from her thoughts. Turning around to see who had brought her back to reality she smiled when she saw who it was. Sage stood in front of her in his sub-armor, seeming to have been frowning slightly at her. "Are you ok?" He asked her gently.  
  
She nodded her head with a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." She replied.  
  
Sage smiled softly at her, glad to have her back and know that she was ok. "You had me really worried about you, you know that?" He said in slight joking, bringing her into his embrace.  
  
She sighed softly and wrapped her arms around his middle. It was strange to hug him while he was in sub-armor. "I know, and I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you or Ryo any kind of stress."  
  
Sage chuckled humorously at her, lifting her chin so that he could look at her. "Don't apologize to me, you have no reason to." He said to her calmly.   
  
"I know," She replied quietly, "but I can't help but feel horrible about what all you two went through."  
  
"I'm not going to lie to you and say that I wasn't worried, because I was but," He said, looking directly into her eyes, "I was more worried that I was never going to see you again. More worried that I would never get another chance to hold you in my arms. I was afraid that I had lost you."  
  
Katie smiled softly at him, lovingly smoothing his hair from his face. "Mi amor, you will never lose me. No matter what happens I will always find my way back to you. Nothing or anyone will ever come between us." She said quietly to him, her eyes never leaving his.  
  
Sage smiled, gently taking her face in-between his hands and kissed her softly. "I know," He replied in hushed tones, "but just like you can't help but feel sorry about what Ryo and me went through, I can't help but feel like I almost lost you forever."   
  
She looked up at him through her eye lashes, and at that moment nothing else in the world mattered but him and that moment. She didn't care if Maguyser himself came through the door and declared war on all of them. For a month she had been away from him and now all she wanted to do was have him hold her close and tell her everything was going to be alright. But in reality everything wasn't ok and no matter how many times he told her that, it would never be. Kaye was still missing and in danger ---not to mention that Maguyser was still alive and roaming. Now that she was free she had the added pressure of killing Maguyser once and for all and saving Kaye.   
  
But how she was going to do all that she had no clue. She knew that Ryo and her had to somehow get this new armor to work ---but how were they going to do that? On top of all that she was still spinning from the loss of power she had suffered. Not being up to speed like she usually was could prove to be potentially deadly. What if she didn't have enough strength to call upon the new armor with Ryo? What if she couldn't stop Maguyser? No, I have to stop thinking negative. Positive thoughts here Katie, positive thoughts.   
  
"Quierdo," She softly spoke to him, placing a soft hand on his cheek. "You'll never really lose me because I'll always be right here," She said and softly touched his sub-armor where his heart would be. "always and forever."  
  
Sage smiled lovingly at her and gathered her into his arms. Kissing her lingeringly as he held her tight. Afraid that if he let her go he might lose her again somehow and once was enough. Ryo came walking around the corner to find Katie, stopping when he saw the two. He smiled ruefully to himself at the sight before him, coughing loudly to gain the attention of the two. "Ahem, well sorry to interrupt but I think we should get moving now, Kate." He spoke with slight amusement as the two broke apart.  
  
"Yeah," Katie replied, "I guess its now or never, right?"  
  
"Are you sure its safe to go now?" Sage asked with slight alarm.  
  
Ryo shrugged his shoulders lightly in a not sure way. "I don't know, Sage but if we don't at least go and try to then Kento is going to kill us all."  
  
"Alrighty then, I guess we'd better go and kick some demon booty." Katie said and walked away from the two, leaving them to stare after her in wonderment.  
  
"You think her being possessed did something to her brain?" Ryo asked jokingly, laughing some to himself.  
  
Sage shook his head and chuckled some. "No, I think she's just fine." He replied and walked after her to rejoin the others with Ryo following behind him.   
  
Reann stood silently by herself in one of the corners. She was distancing herself from the Ronins and she knew it, but she didn't know what else to do. Somehow she felt like an outsider here. The only person who really knew her was Katie and she was having problems right now of her own. Somehow she felt that she should just stay away from them all. She was the outsider in a group of family and friends, what right did she have to just come charging in on that? Yeah, sure she had helped them get back Katie and Ryo and Sage's armor orbs, but did that really make her one of them? One of the good guys?  
  
She smirked at the thought and shifted her weight to her right foot. Me, one of the good guys? Somehow that doesn't sound convincing to me. After all she was still a bad guy technically, a few rights doesn't make up for all the wrongs you've done. She turned her head when she noticed Katie walk back into to the room. She was still wearing the ninja outfit but she didn't look as dangerous or unnatural as before. And to think only a few short hours ago I was fighting her, fighting to save my life and the life of others. She grinned when Katie looked over at her, knowing that she had heard her thoughts.  
  
But she had to wonder just how much of her thoughts she had picked up on. Usually she would have whispered a response across her mind but this time she didn't. This concerned her, making her wonder just how weak she really was. I don't think she's letting on how bad she really is. Is it safe to let her fight him? Do any of them really understand how strong he's gotten? Well, doesn't matter to me, I will make sure he goes down one way or another.   
  
Katie looked over at Reann, picking up muffled words from her. She sighed inwardly, knowing it was useless to try and pick up her thoughts ---she just didn't have the strength to. Standing in the middle of the room she cleared her throat and got everyone's attention. "Alright, everybody had better listen up. We're going to go now and find Maguyser and Kaye." She said loud enough for everybody to hear. Looking over in Kento's direction she continued, "I'm not sure what we're going to be getting ourselves into but I know one thing ---we will be getting Kaye back. I don't care what it takes, she will be coming back home with us."  
  
Everyone gave a nod or a clap to her words as she looked at each one. Her friends, family, the people who cared about her enough to have risked their lives for her and now she had one more friend that had risked her life for hers to save. "Ok, the real fun starts when we leave these doors. You all ready?" She asked and then waited for them all to give her a yeah before she smiled and walked over to Reann.  
  
Reann straightened and uncrossed her arms when she walked over to her. Not sure as to why she was coming over to her she kept quiet. Katie shook her head at her. "Reann, I would just like to say," She started and looked up at her with sincere eyes, "thank you for saving my friends and family's lives. I owe you a lot my friend."  
  
Reann waved it off with a disheartened shrug. "Nah, don worry bout it. You would have done the same for me if the tables were turned." She replied.  
  
Katie nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement to her words. "Yeah, you're right....I would do the same thing for you." She looked down at the ground and for a few silent moments and then back up at her, "Reann, I'm not going to ask you to fight with us. I'll understand if-"  
  
"Quit with the bull shit, Kate." Reann said with a grin, cutting her off mid sentence. "We've been through enough together for you to know that I'm not going to cut and run when the going gets tough. I want to see him go down."  
  
Katie blinked in slight baffled confusion at how much anger and malice her words held. She couldn't help but smile at seeing the old Reann she knew oh to well coming back full fledge. "You know," She started to gain her attention, "You don't have to act so distant to them. Theyre not going to bite you."  
  
Reann laughed some and shook her head at her. "You did hear my thoughts didn't you?" She asked with slight humor.  
  
"I heard some." She answered with a sly grin. "Besides, I see that you've taken quite a liking to my brother."  
  
Reann opened and closed her mouth like a fish as no words could come out. She blinked and then a squeak escaped her. "I have not!"  
  
Katie only laughed more. "Ok ok, whatever you say." She said and held her hands up. "I don't have the time nor the energy to fight with you. I've got a demon Lord's ass to kick." She said and turned to walk out the same door everyone else had.  
  
Reann grabbed her hand to stop her. Katie turned her head to look at her with a confused expression. "Are you sure you're up to this, Kate?" Reann asked her, worry and concern could be seen on her face.  
  
Katie smiled to reassure her. "When have I ever not be up to a fight, Re?" Was all she said and then walked out of the door to follow after her brother and the Ronins.   
  
Reann stood for a few more minutes, contemplating her words. Laughing to herself she followed after them. I know I'm going to regret this. She thought and ran to catch up with the others. Now the only thing that stood between them and ending the battle once and for all was a few hallways and one very large door. 


	19. ch 19

Emotions Vs Power  
  
ch 19  
  
"Here's the Dream Walker, just like you ordered master." Tento said as he presented Kaye to him.   
  
"Well done, Tento. Now secure her, and then prepare yourself, because soon we'll have company." Maguyser replied as he watched Tento secure Kaye tightly, and then pitched the room into totally darkness as they waited for them to show.   
  
As they continued to search, their adrenaline started to pump more and more into their bodies, making them run faster with each step that they took. Just then, a sudden gust of wind knocked out all of the torches. "Wonderful, now what?" Kento asked in a very annoyed tone. Evil laughing echoed through out the hall, bouncing off the walls so they won't be able to pin point where the source of it was coming from.  
  
"You just had to ask, didn't you Kento?" Sage asked, as he felt Kento glare at him. But just before Kento could reply, Maguyser's form hovered in the air above them.  
  
"What's the matter? Can't seem to find your way in the dark? Here, let me help you." Maguyser said as a couple of fire balls appeared out of nowhere, and flew straight at them.   
  
"Watch out!" Reann warned as they dodged out of the way. Just as they thought that the fire balls were going to hit the ground, they did a sharp turn and hovered in front of them again.   
  
"How?" Rowen started to ask in bewilderment.   
  
Maguyser tossed his head back and laughed, "you thought that these were just mere fireballs, you're seriously mistaken. These are no ordinary fireballs, actually they're demons, fire demons."   
  
'Fire demons! If he's called upon them already then...then...' Katie thought as she quickly looked up towards Maguyser in alarm.  
  
Maguyser smirked as he saw Katie's reaction. "Yes, I see that you have realized what's happening here. Good, then you understand what I have in mind for your friend the Dream Walker."   
  
Hearing reference to Kaye, Kento quickly looked up angrily towards Maguyser. "Where is she? Tell me!" Kento demanded angrily.  
  
"You're in no position to tell me what to do, Hardrock. But to put your mind at ease, maybe I'll tell you, or better yet, I'll show you." Maguyser replied as a dark image appeared showing that Kaye was secured tightly to something, but it was so hard to see because of how dark it was. The only light were the torches that were spread out a crossed the room. Kento growled in anger as he glanced over towards him, and then he looked back over towards Kaye, and his expression softened. "You know what, I think that the Dream Walker had more than enough of the dream of tortures. Maybe I should wake her up now. Actually, I think that I will." Maguyser grinned evilly as he turned and faced the image. "Dream Walker, it's time to wake up." With a snap of his fingers, Kaye started to slowly open her eyes.  
  
"What's going on? Where am I?" Kaye asked in quiet confusion. And then she looked down when she heard something from underneath. She opened her eyes wider and fear flickered in her eyes from what she saw. Kaye screamed and then started to struggle, and then the image disappeared.  
  
"Kaye...Kaye!" Kento called out to her, and then he looked over towards Maguyser and growled angrily again, as he took out his three sectioned staff and pointed it towards him. "Iron...rock..."  
  
"Complete that attack Hardrock, and I'll make sure that whatever your Dream Walker saw will finish her for good." Maguyser warned with a glint of evil in his eyes. Kento stopped his attack, lowered his weapon, and then his head in defeat. "Humph, it just shows how weak the human heart can be when you put a loved one's life on the line. They'll crumble and fall like an old condemned building ready for demolition."   
  
"Maguyser, how could you be...?" Ryo asked angrily.  
  
"So heartless? It's quite simple, Wildfire, for one to be heartless, the person doesn't have a heart to begin with. So in other words, I've never had a heart, I find having a heart makes you weak, and being weak is something that I won't allow. So instead of bantering back and forth, I would suggest that you hurry, or otherwise your friend will die." Maguyser replied as he vanished.   
  
"Damn!" Kento swore angrily, as he was trying to control his emotions.  
  
"What the?" Cye asked in confusion as he was looking up towards the fire demons that were still there.  
  
"Cye?" Rowen asked as he glanced over towards him, and then he followed his gaze to what he was seeing. "What in the world are they still doing here?"   
  
"You're the genius Rowen, why don't you tell us?" Reann asked as she glanced over towards him.  
  
"It looks like they're going to instead of attack us like before…they're going to lead us to Kaye." Rowen replied with a slight frown.   
  
"That'll explain why they haven't attacked us yet." Sage said with a confirming nod.  
  
"So then, why are we still here!?" Kento asked eagerly.   
  
'I definitely don't like this. Maguyser summoned those fire demons for another reason besides playing guide.' Katie thought with a frown.  
  
'I know Katie, but at the moment we don't exactly have a choice.' Reann replied as she glanced over towards her.   
  
'Still want to do this?' Katie asked curiously.  
  
'What? And miss out on a real fight, give me a break.' Reann replied with a playful smirk.  
  
'I thought that you would say something like that.' Katie said as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, are you two coming or what?" Cye asked as he noticed that they were staying back.  
  
"We're coming Cye." Katie replied as she and Reann caught up with them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The creature that was shooting up to what Kaye could tell in the pitch darkness, to be their hands or tentacles or something else entirely. But whatever it was she definitely didn't want to see it's true form. When the creature started to pull itself upon her, Kaye could feel it's wants, needs, desires, and it made her feel sick to her stomach. She closed her eyes tightly and turned her head away as the creature leaned closer into her. It could feel her emotions, and they made the creature want her even more. Then the creature closed it's eyes and called forth more of it's kind. More and more climbed out of from underneath her, and then started to feel every aspect of her body. "Nectar, sweet delicious nectar." the demons hissed, as they continued.  
  
Kaye was beyond scared at this point and time. This was worse than Maguyser's torture of dreams. "Please, stop…No more!" Kaye pleaded as she tried to keep back a sob.  
  
"More…More sweet nectar…More!" the creatures replied as they were even more aroused by her pleading.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The fire demons got closer to where they would find the ones that they were looking for. Katie and Reann knew this because the fire demons' flame was starting to fade. "Hey, what's going on with them?" Ryo asked slightly confused.  
  
"When their flames start to go out, that means they are close to where they originated from. So that means we're very close, they should be right behind this...Door." Kaite replied, but then when she opened it, their eyes were trying to adjust to the darkness. The only light that could be seen were from the very few tourches, and a pit that was in the center of the room.   
  
"What's that sound?" Rowen asked as he was straining to hear.  
  
"What sound?" Sage asked back with a frown, and then he heard it.  
  
"Nectar...More sweet nectar...More!" the demons chanted louder this time as they laughed evilly. 


	20. ch 20

Emotions vs. Power  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Reann turned wide eyes on Katie who was frowning at the pit before them. No one seemed to be in the room with them except for the large pit and whatever was making the noises. Kento smirked, "So what are they, too scared to face us or something?"  
  
"I don't know Kento," Sage replied a little uneasily. Something about the noises and the seemingly deserted room wasn't setting well with him.  
  
"Should we check out what's in the pit?" Cye spoke up, but even he didn't sound so sure of it.  
  
Katie narrowed her eyes into almost a glare at the pit before them. It seemed familiar, almost like she had seen it before ---or had seen what Maguyser used it for. "Come on out, Maguyser!" she shouted suddenly and made everyone jump in surprise.  
  
"Katie!" Ryo hollered at his sister from behind gritted teeth. She only gave him a shrug in return.  
  
Laughter filled the room to add to the already weird chanting coming from the pit. The Ronins, Katie and Reann tensed and all got into fighting positions ---ready to fight if needed to. Maguyser's cloaked form came into view from the dim darkness that surrounded them. He smiled at them all, "Well, I see you've made it here. Not that it'll do any of you any good."  
  
"Where's Kaye!" Kento demanded angrily from him.  
  
Maguyser merely gave him a light smirk and then gestured behind him with a wave of his hand. "She's keeping my demons busy right now," he told him with a twinkle in his black eyes.  
  
Kento looked behind him to where the pit was and his eyes widened when realization hit him. "No," he whispered out, "Kaye!" Kento shouted and ran towards the pit.  
  
"Kento no!" Rowen yelled after the orange Ronin, but it was no use ---he wasn't listening to any of them anymore.  
  
"Damn it," Katie cursed, but kept her blue eyes focused on her adversary.  
  
Cye growled and charged after Kento before he could reach the pit, "Kento!" he shouted to gain his attention while grabbing the concerned Ronin's arm. Cye struggled to keep his hold on him as Kento fought to get loose. Trying to keep his hold on his arms, Cye turned his head around and yelled to his friends, "A little help please?!"  
  
Rowen and Sage looked at each other before running to the aid of the light blue Ronin. Maguyser's smile widened as he watched the three Ronins struggle to keep the bearer of Hardrock subdued. He threw his head back and laughed heartily at them. "You fools," he chortled out, "now I have you right where I want you!"  
  
"Uh-oh," Ryo said as a bad feeling rushed over him.  
  
"No!" Reann hollered at the four Ronins in front of them as she dashed to move them, "get away from there!"  
  
Maguyser smiled and laughed more as he watched Reann try to run to them. His eyes glowed red and a black hole appeared below the four unsuspecting Ronins. Reann stumbled to a stop at the edge of the hole and watched in horror as they disappeared into the darkness below her. Maguyser laughed more as the pit and chanting noises disappeared as well ---leaving only Ryo, Katie and Reann now in the room with him.  
  
Katie stared at where the hole had been and where her friends had once been standing as well. "No, Sage," she whispered out and turned cold eyes on the laughing Maguyser. "I'll get you for this!" she yelled in anger and took her sais from her sides while jumping in the air, aiming them at Maguyser in a deadly arch.   
  
Maguyser simply smirked at her futile attempt and raised his right arm in a bored fashion ---flicking his hand at Katie he sent her flying backward to hit the wall. "Foolish girl, do you really think you can defeat me?"  
  
"Katie!" Reann and Ryo chorused, running to her aide as she climbed shakily back to her feet again.  
  
Ryo fell to his knees next to his fallen sister, "Kate, you ok?" he asked as he tried to help her to her feet.  
  
Katie growled and pushed him away so that she could climb back to her feet on her own. "I'm fine," she grumbled out while glaring at Maguyser.  
  
Reann turned around and glared at him as well, "Maguyser..."  
  
Ryo frowned at his sister's actions towards him, but shrugged it off to turn with a glare on Maguyser. "What did you do with my friends and where is Kaye?!" he questioned the disfigured enemy in front of them.  
  
Maguyser smiled in amusement, "Your friends have gone to visit someone and where the Dream Walker is between her and me. Don't spend the last few minutes of your lives worrying about them. Be more concerned about what I'm about to do to all of you."  
  
"Go to hell, Maguyser!" Reann told him smugly with a glare.  
  
"I'm going to bring you down once and for all," Katie proclaimed with a point in his direction. "You will pay for all the lives you made me take, for ruining my life and for killing and harming the people closest to me!" she told him with hatred in her voice. She glared at him coldly and with a look of loathing for everything he was. Ryo and Reann stared at her ---they'd never heard her speak to him in that manner before or with such passion.  
  
Maguyser's smile faltered as he caught the look in her deep blue eyes. A chill ran down his spine at her words ---almost afraid that she had really meant what she had proclaimed she would do. "You're bluffing," he stammered out, "there's no way you can beat me! You and your friends will perish here!"  
  
"We'll see who's bluffing when we all get through with you Maguyser," Ryo threatened and began his call to arms. "Armor of the Wildfire, Dao Jin!" Ryo called forth his armor and when the transformation was over stood in-between Reann and Katie with swords drawn.  
  
Maguyser smirked, seemingly less than amused by the transformation of the red Ronin. Throwing his head back, Maguyser laughed loudly ---the sound bouncing off the walls to make an echoing sound in the small room. "As I said before, you all will die here," he chortled out, "first your friends and then you three will die as well!"  
  
Katie growled and balled her hands into fists at her sides. Her anger was growing and about to snap at any minute ---Maguyser was grating her last nerve now. "Shut up!" she screamed and the room went eerily silent as she clenched her hands tighter into fists at her sides ---trying to keep her anger at bay.  
  
"Did I hit a nerve, Guardian," Maguyser sneered, "is the truth starting to set in now? Are you finally starting to see where you all will fall?"  
  
Reann watched her best friend growing steadily angrier and knew that it was only a matter of time before she would snap. She had seen her do it enough times to know the signs of her temper starting to boil under the surface. Everything that had happened was starting to wear on her and knowing that she might not have enough energy to defeat Maguyser was going to be the icing on the cake. Reann looked back over at the grinning face of Maguyser and realized what he was up to ---he was toying with them. He was purposely trying to get to them all, but why?   
  
Maguyser cruelly smiled at the three remaining people in the room, his black eyes glinting in the dim glow from the few torches lining the room. "I think Tento is probably having a nice time ripping your friends apart one by one by now," he drawled out ever so slowly to gain there attention.  
  
Ryo growled and narrowed his eyes at him, "If so much as harm one hair on their head I swear I'll-"  
  
"You'll what? Burn me to death?" Maguyser cut him off, "Come now Wildfire. We both know you can't harm me."   
  
Ryo gritted his teeth and clutched his katanas tighter in his hands. Reann looked over at Katie and both girls nodded in the same understanding. "He might not be able to take you down but I can!" Reann shouted as she lunged at Maguyser.  
  
"Can you now," Maguyser asked with mirth, "we'll see about tha-" he was cut off by the searing pain of metal puncturing his skin and spun around to find Katie behind him with a sai in her hand dripping with his blood. Another pain racked his body and he let out a cry of anguished pain. Twisting his head around he found Reann standing in front of him with her sword protruding through his stomach.   
  
"How do you like that, master?" Reann sneered in his face as she twisted the sword that still ran through him.   
  
Maguyser's face contorted into a mask of rage and anguish. Regaining his strength he summoned a wave of power around him, sending it to surge out around himself ---knocking the two girls away from him and sending them flying through the air. "Fools!" he shouted in outrage, "Do you think you can hurt me with such useless tools as those?"  
  
Katie wiped the blood from her lip and climbed back to her feet with her head held high in defiance towards her once master. Reann stood off to her left holding her side and glaring at Maguyser. "We can try can't we? I said I was going to bring you down and that's what I meant," Katie replied to him with determination burning in her eyes.  
  
"Nothing will save you this time," Reann added as she fought to catch her breath.  
  
Maguyser frowned heavily at their words. He had lost two of his best warriors and was now left with only Tento to help him ---even with Tento on his side he was still significantly out numbered. He knew full well what Reann and Katie were capable of doing though and that might be his best advantage. He knew their moves, how they fought and their weaknesses ---they had been both, at one time, under his command after all. He smiled and let out a low and evil cackle, "You two do more talking than you do killing. Of course, that's all you both ever did anyway."  
  
Reann growled and started to lunge for him, but Katie held her back. "That's exactly what he wants you to do. He wants to get us mad so that we'll just start attacking him without thinking," she told her harshly.  
  
"Well, I see you've still got the brains out of the two of you, Guardian. Although your emotions have clouded your thinking a bit," Maguyser sneered with a cold smile in her direction.   
  
Katie growled at Maguyser's comment but refrained herself from lunging at him. She looked over at her brother who was standing opposite her and then back at Reann as a thought struck her. 'Look, Reann, we need to do a double team on him, just like we used to do back in the old days. Ryo can help us out too.' She said to her telepathically.  
  
Reann stared at her as if she had lost her mind. 'Are you crazy?! You're not strong enough to do that and Ryo could get hurt fighting him.'  
  
Katie smirked at Reann's remark to her sanity. 'Trust me on this one. My brother can handle himself just fine. '  
  
'Kate, I don't know about this!' Reann shouted back at Katie as she followed her friend into battle.   
  
Katie lunged at Maguyser head on while Reann quickly sprang around to get him from behind. Maguyser smirked at their attempt, but her knew what they were going to do. Quickly he slid to the side as Katie and Reann hit each other head on and fell to the ground holding their heads in pain. He laughed at them, "This is great! I know everything that you two are going to do before you do it. There's no use in trying, just give up!"  
  
Ryo growled and stepped forward, "I've had it with you Maguyser. How about we stop playing around and you take me on?"  
  
Maguyser smiled coldly at his challenge. If the fool wanted to take him on and die that much faster than he had no objections to it. "You want to fight me then come on," he taunted Ryo. The red warrior growled and with his katanas outstretched in front of him lunged at Maguyser.  
  
Reann and Katie could only watch with wide eyes as Maguyser and Ryo fought. It became obvious to both of them after a while of watching the fight that Maguyser was toying with Ryo ---not really fighting him, but more like savoring his futile attempts. Katie began to clutch her hands into fists at her sides as she watched her once master toy with her big brother who was trying his best to do what she should have been doing. Reann frowned as she watched, glancing over at Katie to see if she should jump into the fight or not once in a while ---each time Katie would shake her head as a no, but Reann knew that deep down she wanted to jump in as badly as she.  
  
Ryo blocked the attack from Maguyser while he twisted around to slash at him. Maguyser dodged and while the unsuspecting Ryo turned around he went in to run the Ronin leader through the stomach. Reann shouted to him to get out of the way as she ran to him. Ryo turned around to see Maguyser's sword coming down towards him and thought quickly for answer as to what he should do ---the sword never got to him and he didn't have to think of anything. Katie's eyes went wide as she watched her best friend run to the aide of her brother, jumping in front of him as the sword came down on her ---running straight through her. Reann looked surprised as she slowly fell backwards away from the sword and to the ground.   
  
"Reann!" Ryo shouted and he dispersed of his swords to grab Reann's falling form.   
  
Reann coughed and blood streamed down in a line from her mouth ---the gash in her stomach was bleeding heavily. Ryo looked over her wound and tried to think quickly of a way to stop the bleeding. Katie came rushing to her friend's side. "Reann!" she yelled shakily and fell to her knees next to her.  
  
"Hey Kate," she replied weakly with a strained smile.  
  
"Reann, you idiot don't you go dying on me! You hear me!" Katie threatened her, but knew her words meant nothing to her now.  
  
Reann tried to laugh but only ended up coughing, "I'm sorry, Kate. I tried to get him, but I couldn't I guess. Its up to you and the Ronin Warriors now to make sure he goes down once and for all."  
  
"Reann...." Katie whispered out as tears started roll down her cheeks. "You can't die on me, you can't!"  
  
"Sorry for what I did to you and the others, Ryo," Reann whispered as she started to slip away from them.  
  
Ryo stared at her with a mix of confusion and sadness, "Don't worry about it."  
  
Katie took Reann firmly by the shoulders and started to shake her. "You can't die on me, Reann! You can't! I need you, don't go!" she hollered at her, but Reann was already gone.  
  
Ryo closed his eyes for a brief moment in a silence for their fallen comrade. He reached over and laid an armor-covered hand on his sister's shoulders who was still shaking Reann as if she could make her come back some how. "Kate-"   
  
"Don't say it!" Katie shouted with a sharp, teary-eyed glare at her brother. "Don't you dare say it."  
  
Ryo looked at his sister with grief filled eyes bit say nothing to her. He really didn't want to say it or hear it either. Maguyser's cackling laughter could be heard echoing through the small room now. It bounced off the walls and surrounded them in an eerie way. "Good riddance I say. She was useless anyway," Maguyser chortled out in a pleased manner.  
  
Katie clutched her hands into fists as a red haze descended over her mind. Maguyser had gotten on her last nerve and he was going to die. Loosing Reann had been the last straw and Katie's temper was about to snap. "How dare you," she replied low and angrily as she slowly stood from her fallen friend, keeping her back to Maguyser.  
  
Maguyser stopped his cackling and stared with fascination at Katie. "How dare I what?" he asked innocently.  
  
"How dare you kill my friend and then laugh about it," she said in the same threatening, low tone and slowly turned around to face him.   
  
Maguyser narrowed his eyes at her, there was something different about her. He smiled inwardly when realization hit him ---she had finally snapped. Katie glared coldly at him as she felt a power start to surge within her, "You will pay for that."  
  
Ryo stood and walked over to his sister ---not really sure why, but knew he was supposed to. He felt a foreign power starting to stir deep within him and it was telling him to get up and go to her side. Katie and Ryo's eyes flared with an inner fire as a huge inferno sprung up from no where around them ---completely engulfing the siblings in its flames.   
  
Maguyser stepped back as the blaring heat of the flames bore down on him. He stood with wide eyes, staring at the wall of fire that had engulfed the two warriors. He had no idea what was happening but something told him that it wasn't a good thing. Just when Maguyser thought that he had seen the last of the Sanada's, two figures emerged from the wall of flames.  
  
Ryo and Katie both stepped calmly and almost with arrogance from the towering inferno. Now instead of Ryo being in his Wildfire armor and Katie still being in her ninja outfit, they were both clad in what looked like new armor. Ryo stepped forth from the fire in armor that looked similar to the Inferno, but had red under gear and black armor with a gold belt around his waist and no helmet. Katie stepped out beside him in a black spandex under suit that had a red, metal skirt and shoulder pads ---black knee high boots adorned her feet as well as a gold belt around her waist and a gold band around her left arm. Both siblings held one katana blade in their hand.   
  
Maguyser's jaw dropped and he stumbled back in surprise. He had thought they were dead ---he didn't think they would walk out of the crackling fire with new armor on. This was starting to get out of hand now for him. How was he supposed to fight them when he didn't even know what they were wearing or even what kind of powers the possessed now.   
  
Both, Katie and Ryo smirked at the cowering form of Maguyser. They felt the burning power of the new armor they wore cursing through them and felt no fear what so ever for him. They both knew, without a doubt, that they were going to beat him once and for all this time. "You're going down, Maguyser...." Katie told him smugly and Maguyser trembled at her words as if she had struck him physically. "I promise you that." Ryo and Katie held their heads high in a proud fashion at Maguyser ---now they possessed the power of the armor of the Phoenix and nothing could stand in their way. 


	21. ch 21

Emotions vs. Power   
  
ch 21  
  
"What just happened, where are we?" Cye asked, looking around the torch lit room.   
  
Rowen glanced over to Cye, and at the same time, was being very cautious of their surroundings. "My guess, we landed right into a trap."  
  
"Great, just great, we have no idea of where we are, and still no sign of Kaye!" Kento raised his arms and then brought them down to his sides and grumbled in annoyance.  
  
Sage put a comforting hand onto Kento's shoulder. "Hey, hey come on now, she wouldn't want you to give in like this, right." Kento gave a slight nod, and then his attention snapped towards the sound of laughter.  
  
"Tento..." Kento snarled, his eyes narrowed in anger as soon as Tento finally showed himself.  
  
Tento continued to laugh while he looked upon the angered Ronins. "You're all so pathetic, you make me sick. You honestly believe that you'll find the Dream Walker, defeat me, and my master, as well as get out of here alive?" A sudden wind blew in, snuffed out the only light that was there, pitching the whole room into total darkness.   
  
"You're nothing but a coward! You hear me Tento!" The Ronin of Hardrock yelled out angrily.   
  
Tento's laughter came at them from every direction, "a coward? Interesting, considering that you're the ones that are trapped in the dark, while I have every advantage possible."  
  
'Not every advantage.' Sage mused, closing his eyes, Sage called upon his sure kill, "thunder bolt cut!"   
  
"Did you honestly think that you were going to hit me with your attack? Please..." Tento taunted in a humorous tone.  
  
"What made you think that I wanted to hit you? Especially since I had a different target in mind." Sage replied with a smirk. A stream of light poured through, exactly where Sage launched his attack. Tento yelled in anger, his whole strategy had just went up in smoke. He believed that he'd have the advantage fighting them, if the whole room was in pitch darkness, evidently, he didn't count on Sage's sure kill.  
  
"Damn you, Halo!" Tento growled, narrowing his eyes angrily towards him. "It doesn't matter, I'll still defeat you all!" Tento brought up and held out in front of them a very familiar looking bo. "Recognize this? You should, it once belonged to the one you seek. You know, it's quite interesting how my master's demons can channel her energy to this particular weapon and use it against all of you." Tento's taunting was making Kento's blood felt like it was boiling.   
  
"You lie! It maybe Kaye's bo, but there's no way that you can use its powers against us!" Kento bellowed angrily.  
  
"Let's test that theory, shall we?" Tento questioned, raising up the bo, "tiger's rage!" A silver aura glowed around it, then a tiger made out of silver energy emerged, and pounced towards the four Ronins.   
  
"Scatter!" Rowen yelled out as his eyes widened, and they all went into different directions. Tento's laughing echoed through out the room.  
  
"What's so funny?!" Cye demanded, eyes narrowed angrily glaring at the raving lunatic.   
  
"I was just thinking, the more that I use this power, the less of a chance that your Dream Walker has to survive. Oh well..." Tento replied, laughter gleamed in his eyes as he watched the four in amusement.  
  
"I won't allow you to use her like that, you hear me? I won't allow it!" Kento growled charging directly at him. Tento got himself ready by posing the bo for another attack.  
  
"No! We can't let him send another attack!" Cye exclaimed looked over at Sage and Rowen.  
  
Sage frowned, "alright then, everyone, call your sure kills and wait until the precise moment." Sage watched close, he wasn't sure if this was going to work, but this   
  
was not the time to doubt anything, it was now or never. They only had one shot at this, and they all knew it. "Thunder bolt cut!"  
  
"Super wave smasher!" Cye called out, pointing his yari towards their target.  
  
"Arrow shock wave!" Rowen yelled, pulling back on his arrow and taking careful aim so they wouldn't hit their friend. "Kento, call your sure kill!" Kento ignored Rowen, he just kept on charging Tento at full speed.   
  
"Fool..." Tento said with a smirk, he raised the bo up again and started to call forth the sure kill again, knowing full well that the attack will injure him severely since Kento's in direct firing range. "Tiger's rage!"   
  
"Now!" Sage yelled out, releasing his attack before the tiger could be formed again. Cye and Rowen quickly followed suit, all three of them watched in anticipation to see if Sage's plan would work.  
  
"Kento, get out of the way!" Cye called out to him. Kento glanced up and saw the three attacks were about to collide with the attack that Tento called upon, so he growled and dived out of the way, knowing full well that there was going to be one heck of an explosion.  
  
"Wha..No!" Tento yelled angrily as all four attacks finally collided, and a massive explosion sent Tento flying back into a spear that went through his entire chest   
  
cavity. His eye went wide from the shock, Tento dropped the bo as he was stuttering, trying to get his words out. After a little longer, his body went limp as the last breath escaped from his mouth, his head drooped down, his limbs hanging at his sides. Blood oozing, trickling down from the giant chest wound.   
  
"Is everyone alright?" Cye asked looking around to see.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Rowen replied getting up and dusting himself off. "Sage?"  
  
"I'm alright Rowen." Sage called back, "Kento...Hey, what...Kento, what are you doing?! He's dead, he can't do anything to anyone! Kento!"   
  
"Iron rock crusher!" Kento called out towards Tento's already dead body, his sure kill tore into it and ripped it to shreds.   
  
"Kento, what were you thinking!?" Cye exclaimed running up towards him with the look of disbelief in his eyes.   
  
"I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone Cye! Now, I'm going to find Kaye, with or without you guys." Kento replied, picking up Kaye's bo and started his search.   
  
"Hey, wait!" Rowen called out to him.   
  
Kento stopped and looked back, "what Rowen?"  
  
"Tento more in likely deserved what he got, but what you did after that was more than suffice. That didn't seem like justice, it seemed more like revenge." Rowen replied as he and the others circled around him.   
  
Kento didn't answer, he just stood there, he balled his fists and they started to shake. "I understand what I did was wrong Rowen, but what he and his master have done, was much worse, and you know it!"  
  
"We know Kento, but it still doesn't make it right." Cye replied, laying a comforting hand onto his shoulder.  
  
"I wasn't trying to justify my actions, I..." Kento said quietly as his shaking finally stopped.   
  
"You don't have to explain. We'd more in likely would do close to the same thing if we were in your shoes, but let's drop it for now, alright. We still need to find Kaye, and to get back with Ryo and Katie, they might need our help.." Sage replied with a smirk. Kento nodded and they finally started their search again.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
'What...I don't believe it! Tento! He's gone!' Maguyser thought in pure anger, ignoring Ryo and Katie at the moment.  
  
The two glanced over towards Maguyser in slight confusion, and then back towards each other. "What do you think could have happened that would get him to be so distracted? Unless..." Ryo wondered, and then it suddenly hit him, he smirked.  
  
"Ryo, what, why are you?" Katie asked, and then she realized what he did and smirked as well. "It looks like you're the only one that's left, Maguyser, the others have taken care of Tento, and soon they'll find Kaye, when they get back, you'll be finished." A strong wind started to rise from Maguyser's feet all the way up over his head. The power of this wind was so strong, it blew everything that wasn't bolted or nailed down. A growl of anger escaped his throat, as the winds intensified, a red aura pulsated around him, his eyes turned blood red as they flared in anger.   
  
"Now you'll wish that you would have stayed on my side instead of dying by my hands!" Maguyser yelled, he pushed his energy towards them.   
  
"We'll see who's going to die, Maguyser!" Katie replied while taking a glance towards Ryo, the two attacked Maguyser exactly at the same time. He put up an energy defense and blocked them. Ryo and Katie staggered back a little, and tried again.  
  
"We have to buy the guys time enough to get here, and also to figure out how this new armor works." Ryo said as he stole a quick glance towards her.   
  
"You don't have to tell me Ryo." Katie replied with a smirk. Maguyser could tell that they were stalling, but for how long, he wasn't exactly sure.  
  
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"Kaye, where are you?!" Kento called out in a concerned tone.  
  
He was going to call out again, "Kento, quiet." Sage said hushing him, locking in on feint sound of cackling little demons.  
  
"Sage, what..." Kento asked scowling at him.  
  
Before Sage could respond, a quick, painful yell came from the room that was a few feet away from them, as quick as it came, the yell became silent, and was replaced by more cackling demons. Kento's eyes flared in anger, his heart leapt with anticipation knowing exactly who that yell of pain came from. Without waiting for the others, Kento rushed in ahead of them. When he burst into the room, he had a quick intake of breath, as he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. The others almost ran into him.  
  
"Kento, what's the big..." Rowen started to ask, but then he understood as soon as he saw the sight. Rowen wanted to advert his eyes, but he just couldn't, and neither could anyone else for that matter. "Kaye..." A few of the cackling demons that were on her body looked up at them, their claws were dripping with blood from clutching at her arms and legs. While a couple of other demons fed onto her silver aura, and it finally died down when they looked over towards the four Ronins.  
  
"Get away from her!" Kento threatened as his anger boiled.   
  
"Kento, you and Cye get Kaye out of there, Rowen and I, will take care of them!" Sage said, drawing out his nodachi and Rowen drawing out his bo, pulling back on an arrow taking aim.  
  
"Sage..." Cye replied looking back at him.  
  
"Just go Cye, we'll be fine." Rowen said with a quick nod. Cye nodded back and took off with Kento.  
  
"Ready?" Sage asked glancing over towards him.  
  
"As I'll ever be, I guess." Rowen replied with a smirk, drawing back on his arrow even more, he waited for his chance. The demons charged directly at the two, passing Cye and Kento along the way.  
  
"What the, why did they pass us without giving us a second glance?" Cye wondered, making his way with Kento towards the pit where Kaye was being held.  
  
"I don't really care Cye, all I care about is getting Kaye, and getting out of here." Kento replied jumping into the pit. Cye looked back once more and saw that the demons were now fighting Sage and Rowen. He then shook his head and jumped in after him. "Kaye, what did those things do to you?" Kento looked on with concern as he gently held her. Kaye weakly opened her eyes and looked up at him, tears were evident in both of them, she closed her eyes and then laid her head onto his chest. Her breathing was slow, but it was still there, Kento was relieved that she's alive, but extremely angry that those demons injured her this bad.   
  
A couple of demons looked back as Cye and Kento were climbing out of the pit with Kaye's body. "Give us back our food source." the demon hissed, turning around to see that they were half way back to Rowen and Sage.  
  
"You were feeding off of her!?" Cye asked, his eyes widened in shock.  
  
"To be more precise, her aura, actually." the demon hissed back with a grin on its face.   
  
Kento growled while glaring directly at the remaining demons. "Cye, take her." Kento handed her over to Cye carefully, and then took out his three-section staff, "iron rock crusher!" Rowen and Sage leaped out of the way just before his attack could wipe them out. The demons screeched with pain as they disintegrated into ash. He then turned around and delivered his attack right towards the pit. Boulders started to fall into it, closing it off, Rowen pulled back on his arrow and shot up at the ceiling, making it starting to crumble and fall all around them.   
  
"Come on, we have to get out of here before we're buried alive!" Sage suggested looking around at them. Cye gave Kaye back to Kento after he sheathed his weapon, and then they took off to where Ryo and Katie were fighting Maguyser, as the room they were in was finally buried in tons of rubble. 


	22. ch 22

Emotions Vs. Power  
  
Chapter 22  
  
Weapons clashed and banged together as Maguyser fought futilely to stay alive. He still couldn't understand how he had gone from winning to now losing so fast. All of his problems had started when his enemies, Katie and Ryo, had stepped out of the inferno that had engulfed them, clad in new armor ---an armor that made them invincible to him. Now all the demon could do was buy himself some time that he knew would run out sooner or later.  
  
Maguyser brought up his energy sword to deflect the attack that Ryo had aimed at him. The energy sword deflected Ryo's sword but the pulsing light of it flickered and faded even more. Maguyser cursed at this, knowing full well that his powers were dying faster and faster ---soon he wouldn't be able to fight them anymore.  
  
Ryo smiled at this as he stepped back from the demon and twirled the single katana he held in his hand. His new armor was driving him to fight, encouraging him to take Maguyser out. He could feel the power of his new Phoenix armor coursing through his body; a strong, burning power that fueled him to go on. "Had enough, Maguyser?" Ryo taunted with an impish smirk, "or are ya thirsty for more?"  
  
"You don't scare me Ryo of Wildfire," Maguyser replied back, trying his best to take on that over confident sounding voice but failed miserably at it. "I'll take you and your sister down even though you have that new armor."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Ryo spat back at him, the demon's idle threats fell on deaf ears as the red and black clad warrior attacked him relentlessly.  
  
While her brother fought, Katie stood back, watching the fight as it raged on. The dark haired girl watched as her brother fought her once master, toying with the demon more than he was fighting with him. Her hand tightened around the hilt of the katana she held in her right hand the more she thought over what the evil person Ryo was fighting now had done to her ---had done to ruin her life, to make it the twisted, messed up hell that she had to live in now. Flashes of the things she had done, flashes of all the people she had killed, flashes of the life she once lived under his rule and command ran across her minds eye. She could still hear their screams of pain and pleadings ring in her ears ---their begging voices to please be spared, but she spared no one. She brought death and anguish to whatever battle she was in ---that's how she had become to be known as, the Angel of Death.  
  
Katie squeezed her eyes shut against the images that raged throughout her mind as she turned her head away from the battle that went on before her as if it would make it all stop, but it didn't. Her eyes instead fell upon the fallen form of her best friend that now lay quietly where she had died. Hot rage surged through her body. Her best friend. Her comrade, her sister. The one person she had learned she could rely on and trust while under Maguyser's rule now lay cold and dead ---all because she had done the right thing and given up her life to save another's. Because she had decided that she didn't want to live the life she had for so long anymore; wanted to make up for what she had done wrong to all of them, she was gone.  
  
Revenge. It was the one word that she could coherently make out against the endless thoughts and memories that rampaged across her mind. The one thing that she wanted now more than anything else. She wanted Maguyser dead. Once and for all she wanted to see him die. Watch with a triumphant smile on her face, as he died a very slow and painful death.  
  
A fire ignited and blazed deep within her blue eyes as the foreign power of the new armor she now wore raged through out her body. A pulsing, red light came from her armor until it had surrounded her completely in its glow. "You're going to pay Maguyser," Katie promised herself as she turned around and began to take slow, steady steps towards the fighters.  
  
Confusion settled across Ryo's face as he stopped fighting to find his armor pulsing and glowing a red color. Wondering if his sister's armor was doing the same thing, he jerked his head to the side and indeed found hers doing the same. A power began to stir and awaken inside him the closer his sister got to him ---a power that grew stronger with every step she took.  
  
Maguyser stared, transfixed on what his enemies' armors were doing now. He wasn't sure as to what was happening but he got the feeling that whatever it was, wasn't going to be a good thing. The look in his ex-warrior's eyes proved his thoughts right. He'd seen that look before, had seen that fierce fire burn in her eyes before ---it was the same day that she had finally broken free from his hold on her and sent him spiraling into the nightmare he now lived.  
  
Katie stopped walking once she had found her self standing next to her brother. The power of the armor was burning uncontrollably inside her now and she wanted nothing more than to unleash that inferno on the disfigured demon standing be for her. "It all ends now, Maguyser," she proclaimed to him in a low but determined voice.  
  
Fear flashed across Maguyser's face for a split second before it was masked again. Something about her tone and the way she looked at him gave the demon the impression that she meant what she had said. Somehow he just knew, knew that his time was near. The end was coming and Maguyser knew who the bringers of his demise were ---knew them all too well.  
  
Finally the hold on her temper and power snapped and sent the raging inferno billowing throughout her body. Her armor blazed and seemed to have caught fire as her eyes glowed red with power that was now pulsing around her. The katana she held in her right hand began to glow and soon a blazing orange and red fire incased it  
  
As if on instinct, like he knew all along what he was supposed to do, Ryo let the power that he had felt begun to build inside him go and was immediately engulfed in a towering inferno. His armor reacted to the twin armor his sister wore and soon a blazing, raging circle of fire had sprung up and enclosed Ryo, Katie and Maguyser within it.  
  
Acting as one, the siblings raised the one katana they had in their hands and the fire that was burning on the swords connected and created a blazing fire over there heads. With their armors ablaze and swords ignited in a fire, both shouted in unison, "Phoenix Double Flame!" The inferno that had been flickering over their heads blazed more and then was sent hurdling at the unsuspecting Maguyser when they brought their katanas down.  
  
Maguyser's scream of agony could be heard over the roaring of the flames as the fire burnt away the flesh on his bones, leaving nothing behind. Once the fire had died back down to nothing and the flames had been sucked back into the Phoenix armor they wore, the Sanada siblings turned wide eyes onto the spot where Maguyser once stood but now was gone. Nothing was even left. Not a smoldering corpse or even a pile of ashes. It was just like Maguyser had never even been there.  
  
Ryo smirked as he turned to his sister and said, "Looks like we finally killed him."  
  
Katie didn't seem to believe that he was actually gone though. Something told her otherwise. Even if they had killed him there should have been something left behind to signify that, but there wasn't. A slamming sound from behind them brought both of their attentions to the large doors that had now been slammed open. In the door stood four exhausted looking warriors and an equally tired looking Kento who held Kaye in his arms.  
  
The green clad Ronin looked over the scene and then his eyes fell on Reann's motionless body before then flicking back over onto the two black and red clad warriors. He scanned over the armor, figuring that they must have figured out how to don the new Phoenix armor. His next observation was that Maguyser was no longer present. "Did you guys beat Maguyser?" he asked and his voice sounded hopeful that it may all be over.  
  
"Yeah, we-" Ryo started before Katie cut him off.  
  
"Didn't," she finished for him, ignoring the sideways glance she gained from her brother. "He's still alive somewhere. We need to get out of here as fast as we can."  
  
"What are you talking about Kate, we beat him. We toasted him to nothing," Ryo protested as he turned to stare at her.  
"No, we didn't. Maguyser got away somehow. We only injured him. He's still alive Ryo and right now what we need to do is get out of here," Katie replied back a little angrier than she had intended to at first.  
  
"You mean to tell me that even with that new armor you two couldn't kill him?" Cye asked from the doorway. He looked tired and ready to drop at any minute. All the fighting was starting to take its toll on the poor Ronin.  
  
"Or is it that he is dead and you just can't seem to come to terms with it Katie?" Rowen chided from where he stood next to the light blue clad Ronin of Torrent.  
  
That was probably one of the stupidest and worst things that Rowen could have said at that moment. Before anyone even knew what was going on or could stop her, Katie had the dark blue armored Strata by his throat and pinned against the wall. Her rage filled blue eyes bore into his own blue eyes as she yelled at him, "What the hell kind of question is that?! Of course I want him dead, more than any of you, and damn it when I say he's not dead I mean it!"  
  
Everyone did a double take at what had just happened before Sage came out of his stupor and grabbed the angered Phoenix bearer by her arms and dragged her off Rowen. The archer coughed as he rubbed at where her armored hand had just been tightly clenched around his neck. He took a couple deep breaths before he said, "Damn Katie I didn't mean to make you mad, I was just making an observation."  
  
"Ok, everyone just calm down," Ryo stated to everyone as he walked up to join his comrades. "We'd all like to get out of here anyway so why don't we just listen to what Katie said and leave? Whether Maguyser is dead or not we'll learn as we go on."  
  
"Hey, I'm all for leavin buddy but," Kento replied. "What about Kaye?"  
  
Ryo looked to his sister for the answer to the orange clad warrior's question. Katie shook off the young Halo bearer's grasp before replying, "I can awaken her once we're out of here."  
  
"That's all I needed to know. Now let's get the hell out of here," the warrior of Hardrock stated before beginning on his way out of the throne room.  
  
"Wait!" Katie shouted and the ones who had already begun to leave stopped and turned to look at her. "What about Reann? We can't just leave her here."  
  
"Kate there's nothing we can do for her she's already-" Ryo started before once again being cut off by her.  
  
"No! No, I refuse to leave her here. Either she comes with us or I'm not going," she retorted stubbornly as he arms folded over her armor plated chest.  
Everyone looked to the other person for the answer to what they were going to do. No one really relished the idea of carrying a corpse but knew that Katie meant what she said and wouldn't come unless they did. "Alright, Katie, she'll come with us," Sage finally piped up as he went to pick up the fallen body of Reann.  
  
The Phoenix bearer smiled at her green clad lover as he came back over to them with Reann in his arms. "Mochas gracias, mi amor," she said to him and he nodded to her, getting the hint of what she had said to him even if he didn't speak the language.  
  
"Alright, Ronin Warriors, move out," Ryo gave the command and the rest followed after him. He kept a sharp eye out for anything that looked suspicious as they walked through the corridors of Maguyser's castle. If Maguyser really was still alive like his sister had said he was, then that meant that he could be anywhere. He could've fled when it had become apparent to him that he was going to be beaten and just took off, like Ryo hoped, or he was waiting somewhere ---buying himself some time until he thought he knew how to destroy himself and his sister with their new armor.  
  
Ryo looked over his shoulder and found the Ronin of Strata walking closely behind him. The warrior of the heavens had the same cautious, almost paranoid look on his face as he did. Looking over his right shoulder he found Cye walking there. The water Ronin had his sea green eyes focused on the blackness ahead of them.  
  
Looking farther behind him, Ryo found the warrior of strength with his love, Kaye held tightly in his arms. The Ronin of Hardrock peered closely at the shadows that gathered at the beginnings of the corridors and walls as they walked. He looked on edge to Ryo and he knew why. Kento didn't want to be caught off guard if something or more like a certain some one decided to pop up.  
  
Heading up the back of the group was Sage who carried a lifeless Reann in his arms and then Katie behind him. Ryo frowned as he watched his sister out of the corner of his eye. She kept glancing around uneasily at everything as if it brought back a memory of something or she could feel or sense something that they couldn't. She was convinced that Maguyser was still alive, even though everyone else thought him to be dead. Ryo himself had thought that he was dead, but seeing that look, that almost disappointed look in his sister's eyes had made him start to think otherwise. Why else would she declare him still alive unless she really believed that he was?  
  
Ryo turned his head back to look ahead of him as he chuckled to himself, remembering the sight of Katie pinning Rowen against the wall by the throat. He knew he shouldn't be laughing at it, but he just found it way too funny not to. Rowen threw him a sideways glance, wondering if he'd finally cracked up under the pressure or not.  
  
The came to a halt at a split the hallway. Ryo glanced down both ways and found nothing but darkness that lay waiting for them. He was stumped. He didn't know which way to go. "Ah, any ideas on which way to go guys?" he asked as he whirled around to face his followers.  
  
A tired sigh came as a reply for him. All of them were tired and wanted to get home, he knew that. Katie didn't reply to her brother's question even thought she probably knew the way out. Something behind her had her caught her attention. She could've sworn she'd seen something dart to one of the corners behind her out of the corner of her eye. The thing that puzzled her was that she couldn't sense anything though. Still something kept alerting her of something in the back of her mind. Someone calling her name jogged her from her thoughts.  
  
"Huh?" she replied as she whipped her head around to look at the person who had spoken to her.  
  
"I said do you know which way to go," Ryo repeated what he had asked her, his eyes looked concerned but he said nothing to her about it.  
  
"Um, yea just go-"  
  
She was cut off by something wrapping its self firmly around her ankle and hauling her up off the ground and into the air were she hung up side down. Katie screamed and fought whatever was holding her up in the air. As in response to her struggling the thing that held her captive swung her around before slamming her into the hard floor below her and then drug her back up into the air.  
  
"No," Ryo shouted as he raced to the back of the group where his sister hung upside down, now unconscious. "Let her go!"  
  
Something stirred in the shadows before a menacing face with sharp teeth emerged. Its tentacles whipped and slithered around its body. Kento recoiled from the thing in disgust at just how ugly it was. "What is that thing?!" he asked the question that was on everyone's mind.  
  
"One of Maguyser's little toys?" Sage replied back with a question of his own.  
  
"I don't know but it has my sister so its about to be toasted," Ryo said as he hold on the hilt of the katana he held tightened. He was prepared to fight the thing if it meant to get Katie back from it.  
  
Before he could do anything it whipped one of its tentacles out and knocked them all away as if they were flies. Then with another it grabbed a hold of Cye by his torso and hoisted him up into the air like a rag doll. Making fast tracks it took off with Cye and Katie in its grasp as the Ronins climbed back to their feet.  
  
"After it!" Ryo shouted the command and took off the mutant demon that held two of his teammates. He didn't know where the thing was taking them but he had a gut feeling that it was leading them right back to Maguyser and probably right back into a trap. It didn't matter to Ryo though. He was going to get back his sister and friend no matter what it took. 


	23. ch 23

Emotions VS Power Ch 23  
  
While the Ronins were running after the creature, Ryo looked back to see that they were still with him. "What do you want to bet that this is going to be a trap?" Sage asked while he carried Reann's dead body.  
  
"What? You actually believe that he'll just hand over Cye and Katie when we get there?" Kento asked sarcastically as he glanced over at him.  
  
"No, I don't, and Kento, don't be putting words in my mouth!" Sage shot back as they were getting closer to some kind of cave.  
  
"Guys that's enough! We can't afford to be at each other's throats!" Rowen scolded as they finally made it to the mouth of the cave. "You both know that fighting amongst each other won't help anything!"  
  
Kento and Sage looked at each other and then sighed. "Yeah, alright Rowen." Kento nodded, and then looked over towards Sage. "Hey, I'm sorry Sage, it's just…"  
  
"Don't worry about it Kento, we're all worked up about the whole situation. Just save it for who really deserves it." Sage replied with a smirk. Kento nodded and smirked back.  
  
Ryo looked inside, he could see that the creature was still holding Cye and Katie upside down and that Maguyser was standing close by. "Ok here's the deal, we're going to have to leave Kaye and Reann here while we go inside."  
  
"What?! Ryo, no! I'm not leaving Kaye here! She hasn't woken up yet, she'll be defenseless!" Kento objected angrily.  
  
"Kento, Kaye will be safer here than in there. Besides, we're going to need your help in taking them down, and you can't do that while you're holding her." Ryo replied, trying to be rational about this.  
  
Kento looked over at Ryo and then down at his love that he still held in his arms. Kento sighed as he carefully kneeled down and propped her against the wall, just outside of the cave's mouth. He then gently moved some hair out of her face, and lightly kissed her forehead. "I'll come back for you, I promise." He slowly stood up, and kept his back at them.  
  
"She'll be alright here Kento." Rowen reassured him as he put his hand onto Kento's shoulder.  
  
Kento then turned around and nodded his head. "Yeah I know, so, why are we still here? Let's get this guy already."  
  
Sage carefully propped Reann against the wall as well, and then smirked as he stood back up. "So, anyone have a plan on how we're going to do this?"  
  
"We just can't rush in, this is what we know. That creature still has Cye and Katie, and Maguyser is wounded, but we're not sure to what extent." Rowen rationalized while he looked around at them.  
  
"So basically what you're telling us, is that we're going in blind." Sage stated with a raised brow.  
  
"Basically, um yeah." Rowen replied with a nod of his head.  
  
"That's reassuring." Kento said under his breath with crossed arms.  
  
"I wouldn't doubt that he knows we're here." Ryo stated while he looked around the inside of the cave.  
  
"Then let's not disappoint him by making him wait too much longer." Kento replied as he got himself ready for the fight.  
  
"Alright, but first we get Cye and Katie, then we'll take care of Maguyser and his creature." Ryo said as he took a quick look back. The others nodded and then carefully made their way inside with their weapons ready.  
  
"It's about time, I was starting to get bored." Maguyser said in a mock bored tone as he watched them enter the cave.  
  
"Give us our friends back Maguyser!" Ryo demanded angrily as he raised his katana.  
  
Maguyser laughed as he tossed his head back. "You're in no position to be telling me what to do, Wildfire. But I'll tell you what I will do. I'll make a trade."  
  
"Trade? What kind of trade? What are you up to?" Ryo asked in a non trusting tone while he kept his eyes on him.  
  
"It'll be a two for two, you give me the Dream Walker and the dead traitor, and I'll give you your friends." Maguyser replied with narrowed eyes.  
  
"What?! No way! There's no way you'll get Kaye! You'll have to go through me to get to her!" Kento roared back angrily, his eyes blazing.  
  
"That can easily be arranged." Maguyser replied, his eyes flared angrily as his temper spiked.  
  
"Hold on, what do you want them for? Reann can't do anything to you, she's dead, and Kaye's unconscious?" Rowen inquired, very curious to Maguyser's reasons.  
  
"I can take the dead traitor's soul and absorb it into my own, making her powers and abilities my own. As for the Dream Walker, I'll just drain her completely dry of her life energy, and then when I'm done, they'll be tossed aside like yesterday's garbage." Maguyser replied with an evil laugh.  
  
"You bastard!" Kento roared angrily, fists clenched, shaking them in anger.  
  
"I'll tell you what you can do with your offer Maguyser! You can shove it, because we don't negotiate with demons! Phoenix Double Flare!" Ryo replied as his anger coursed his veins. He could feel the power of the Phoenix armor pulsate through him, going to the katana and then attack directly between the creature and Maguyser.  
  
The creature gave a very loud and pierced shriek. The guys dropped their weapons and covered their ears. The shriek was so loud that it resonated through out the entire cave which made the walls and everything else inside and to the extent of the outside tremble. Kento's eyes snapped open as he whipped his head to look back. "Kaye!" As his eyes quickly darted over there, he sighed in relief to see that she was alright. Then Kento growled deep in his throat as he glared at them. He was more than ready to just go and pound the life right out of Maguyser.  
  
While all of this was going on Cye and Katie finally started to wake up. Katie frowned deeply as her eyes finally could focus. "Cye, you alright?"  
  
Cye looked over towards her, "Yeah, if you call being hung by your ankles from a very ugly creature alright, then yeah, I'm doing just fine."  
  
Katie smirked, "I'd thought you'd say something like that. Now, how to get down from here?"  
  
"Katie, earlier, you seemed like you remembered something about this thing. Can it be defeated?" Cye inquired curiously.  
  
Katie frowned deeply in thought, "Yes, it can," She frowned deeper as she tried to recall on how. "That's it, Cye, the creature, it hates light and fire!"  
  
Cye nodded as he finally got the chance to connect with Rowen. 'Hey Rowen, the creature, it hates light and fire. See if you can get Sage to deliver his sure kill at it, then maybe it'll drop us.'  
  
'I got the idea Cye, alright, thanks.' Rowen replied telepathically and then looked over at the bearer of Halo. "Sage, do you think that you can deliver your sure kill at that thing?"  
  
Sage frowned a bit, "Yeah, why? Oh, I see," He said as it finally hit him. "You want me to attack the creature and run interference while you and the others get Cye and Katie."  
  
"Yeah, so you up to it or what?" Rowen asked curiously as he waited for an answer.  
  
"Just make it fast, because I'm not sure what Maguyser will do when I'm distracting that thing." Sage replied back as he got ready.  
  
"Ryo, Kento exactly when Sage attacks, make a break for Cye and Katie. I'm willing to bet that the creature will drop them when Sage's thunder bolt cut hits."  
  
Rowen suggested to them. They nodded and got ready, Sage concentrated and then exactly at the same time when he delivered his sure kill, the other Ronins took off as soon as they saw Cye and Katie falling from the creature's grasp.  
  
"Hey, nice of you to drop in." Kento joked with a smirk as he caught Cye.  
  
"Funny Kento, real funny." Cye replied as he rolled his eyes and stood beside him.  
  
Kento smirked, "Yeah, I thought so too."  
  
"Katie, you alright?" Ryo asked as he looked worriedly at his sister.  
  
"Yeah Ryo, I'm fine, now let's get rid of this thing and then we can finally get rid of Maguyser." Katie replied as she finally stood up on her own.  
  
"Cye said something about that thing not liking light and heat, so maybe if Sage and the two of you attack that thing at the same time?" Rowen started to analyze the situation.  
  
"That it'll be destroyed, so then let's do it already." Sage replied as he joined them. Katie shot a smile towards her amor, Sage shot one back and Ryo just shook his head.  
  
"Can we just get this over with?" Ryo asked in slight annoyance as he got ready to attack.  
  
Maguyser roared angrily, "How dare you!? You'll pay for this I swear it!" His eyes flared, and his power pulsated as it was driven towards them.  
  
"Watch it!" Rowen warned while they dived out of the way, just barely missing the attack. "Ok, you three try and destroy that creature, Kento, Cye and I will try and Keep Maguyser busy." They nodded and went their separate directions. "Ready Kento?"  
  
"Let's do this, I have a score to settle with that demon." Kento replied with narrowed eyes as he glared at Maguyser.  
  
Maguyser smirked as he looked down at Kento and Rowen. "You honestly believe that the two of you alone will be able to defeat me?"  
  
"Don't get cocky demon, we all know that you're wounded. So it won't be that hard to take you down!" Kento shot back angrily.  
  
"I'd watch who you call cocky, Hardrock. As long as my creature still lives, none of you will be able to defeat me." Maguyser told them in an arrogant tone.  
  
"Oh yeah, take a look for yourself. While you're fighting the three of us, the others are going to destroy your so called creature." Cye replied with a smirk as he raised his yari.  
  
Maguyser glared at them and then looked over to where Katie, Sage, and Ryo were standing as they were ready to deliver their sure kills directly at the creature. "No, get away from my creature!"  
  
"Ryo, Sage, Katie, do it!" Rowen called over to them as he, Cye and Kento got in Maguyser's way.  
  
"Thunder bolt cut!" Sage called forth and delivered it right into the creature's eyes.  
  
"Phoenix Double Flare!" Ryo and Katie called upon exactly at the same time and delivered it a split second after Sage's attack. The creature gave a loud, piercing shriek as it started to dissolve into nothing but a pile of bones.  
  
"No! You destroyed my creature!" Maguyser said in a major rage.  
  
"And now we're going to get rid of you once and for all!" Ryo replied as the three turned around, and then all of them came together and delivered their sure kills exactly at the same time. The attacks made direct contact with the demon. He shrieked from the very top of his lungs. His body started to dissolve into tiny bits of black and red shards. One by one, the shards burnt out and nothing was left of the demon except but a pile of ashes.  
  
"It's finally over, he's actually gone!" Ryo exclaimed in a victorious tone as he plastered on a huge relieved smile on his face.  
  
Katie walked over to the pile of ashes, and knelt down as she made them shift in her hand. "Yeah, he is actually gone. He won't hurt anyone ever again." She replied in what could have been a grief filled, but yet happy voice as she got up and walked back over to them.  
  
"Not to be pushy, but maybe we should get out of here. Besides Katie, you said that you could wake Kaye once we're out of here." Kento reminded her as they started to walk over to the mouth of the cave.  
  
Katie smirked, "Yeah I did, now that you mentioned it." They finally made it to where Kaye and Reann were propped up against the wall. Ryo picked up Reann while Kento picked up Kaye. Katie was a bit surprised by Ryo's action, but shook it off anyway and took the lead. It took some time, but finally they got out. "Put them down over there." Katie said as she motioned over towards an open spot under a tree. Ryo and Kento gave a nod, and did what Katie asked. She walked over towards Kaye and Reann and knelt down while the others made a semi circle around them.  
  
"Katie?" Kento asked hopefully while he looked at her with concerned eyes.  
  
"I need everyone to be quiet, this will take a lot of concentration." Katie replied as she closed her eyes. Everyone watched in anticipation while she frowned even harder in order to concentrate. Bringing back the dead wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do. Time passed, and then finally a phoenix made out entirely of fire went inside of Reann's body. The Ronins gasped in surprise, and then the rejuvenating powers of the mystical bird started to take effect. A surprising intake of air could be heard as Reann quickly snapped open her eyes, and sat up rather quickly. "Take it easy Reann, you're safe now." Katie replied as she saw her friend's reaction, and the phoenix went back inside of Katie.  
  
"What…What's going on? Where am I?!" Reann asked in shock and confusion.  
  
"Reann, just relax, Maguyser has finally been defeated, and Katie just brought you back." Ryo explained with a smile towards her.  
  
Reann blinked in surprise, "You did?"  
  
Katie nodded as she wrapped her arms around her friend and brought her into a fierce hug, "Yeah, and I'll tell you what, it wasn't easy. So whatever you do, don't die on me so soon ok."  
  
Reann nodded and hugged her back as a light smile came to her face, "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome, now if you don't mind, I need to wake Kaye up." Katie replied while letting her go from the hug she had her in so she could focus her attention towards Kaye and frowns a bit. "Kento, kneel down here." Kento frowned but did so anyway. "Ok, here's what I need you to do, grab onto her hand and close your eyes. This will help in telling her that we're here, and then hopefully she'll wake up. You ready?" Katie asked as she looked over at him.  
  
"Ready." Kento replied as he grabbed Kaye's hand and closed his eyes. Katie closed her eyes and started to concentrate. Both Katie and Kento frowned deeper, and then after some time, a white fire type phoenix came out and entered Kaye's body. Kaye jerked around a little and then finally opened her eyes, and the white phoenix came out of Kaye's body and back into Katie's.  
  
"Kento?" Kaye asked quietly as she frowned a bit. "What's going on?"  
  
Kento's eyes opened, and then he gave a relieved smile as he scooped her up into his arms. "Kaye." He then pulled back a little and smiled at her. "Katie woke you up from whatever Maguyser's demons did to you."  
  
Kaye looked over towards Katie, "Thanks, are you alright though."  
  
Katie grinned but the look in her eyes gave away how tired and drained she was feeling, "Yeah I'm fine, I'll be better when I get some sleep." She got up along with Reann and Kento as he helped Kaye to stand. "How about we go home?" Everyone nodded and then they did finally go home, and leaving the ash remains of Maguyser behind as the wind blew them across the land.  
  
A few weeks later…  
  
Sage and Katie were standing in front of the lake hand in hand, watching the sun set. A breeze blew by making Katie shiver a little. Sage glanced over towards her. "You cold?" he asked with a frown.  
  
Katie grinned up at him and replied, "Maybe jus a little bit."  
  
Sage nodded with a chuckle as he then took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "Better?" he asked her with a smile.  
  
"Much, mochas gracias, mi amor." Katie replied as she leaned up against him more, pulling his jacket around her to ward off the breeze that blew. Sage grinned as he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her close as they stood there and watched the rest of the sun set behind the trees.  
  
Ryo stood on the porch watching them. A light smile curled around his lips at the sight before him. He was glad that his sister was happy now and might actually be able to live a normal and happy life without the constant reminder of her former life looming over her. The light breeze blew and ruffled his shaggy black hair, blowing his wild bangs into his eyes.  
  
"Hey, Katie wouldn't like it if she knew you were spying on her Ryo." came Reann's soft, but mocking voice as she walked up right beside him and leaned her arms against the railing of the porch. Her brown eyes twinkled with laughter at him.  
  
Ryo glanced over at her, startled by her voice. He hadn't even known she was there. "I wasn't spying, I was just watching the sun set." he said in his defense, blinking in insulted confusion at her accusation.  
  
Reann laughed a bit as she shook her head and her black hair swung to either side. She looked back at him with a smug smile and said, "Sure you were."  
  
"What? You don't believe me?" Ryo replied with an astonished smile spreading across his face. "I wasn't even paying any attention to those two. I swear."  
  
"Whatever Ryo," Reann replied with a teasing smile while she poked him in his chest playfully. "I saw the way you were staring out there at them. You can't fool me."  
  
Ryo chuckled at Reann's actions and his eyes danced with humor as he admitted shamefully, "Ok, ok, maybe I was watching them, but I wasn't spying on them. Honest."  
  
"See, I told you. I knew you were," she replied with a playfully accusing index finger pointed up at him. Reann chuckled lightly, the smile still on her face as she turned her head to look at the two lovers who were now more engrossed in each other then the setting sun. Her smile grew more as she laid her head to the side and said, "Look at them. They look so happy together, don't they Ryo?"  
  
Ryo wasn't looking at Katie and Sage anymore though. He was more interested in the dark haired beauty standing beside him. He blinked as a light blush rose to his cheeks once he realized he was staring at her and quickly he darted his gaze back to the couple before him. "Yeah, they sure do," he agreed quickly.  
  
Reann eyed Ryo out of the corner of her eye with a smirk, knowing that he hadn't even been looking at them when she had said that. A soft smile came to her face as she turned her attention back out at the lake and her best friend. She wished she had something like her friend did. Wished she had someone to love and knew loved her back like the two by the lake or even like Kaye and Kento had. The breeze blew again and rustled her hair along with it. Reann wrapped her arms around herself, the nipping wind biting at her skin even through the sweater she wore.  
  
Ryo looked back over at her once the silence had started between them again. He didn't know what to say to her but wanted to say at least something. "Look, about before, I just wanted…" Ryo said as he started to apologize, thinking it was better than not saying nothing at all.  
  
"Ryo, don't, it's not needed," Reann replied immediately to his apologize while turning warm brown eyes up on him. "I'm sure that I would do and say the same if the roles were reversed. It's alright, honest." With a warm smile to him she brushed her hand down his arm and stopped at his hand. Ryo blushed a bit as he glanced down at her warm and awaiting hand that hovered next to his. A light blush rose to her cheeks as well and then Ryo did something that surprised them both, he took her hand into his and squeezed it gently. Reann looked up at him in slight confusion that turned into a smile when she saw the warm and inviting look on Ryo's handsome face. With a soft chuckle to herself she then leaned against his warm body, laying her head on his shoulder as Ryo wrapped an arm around her and they both looked out at the lake and setting sun.  
  
Kaye was standing at the banister looking up at the multi painted sky. "Hey.." Kento said as he walked up next to her and brought her close into his arms.  
  
Kaye smiles as she looked up towards him, "Hey yourself."  
  
"Want to do something tonight?" Kento asked as he wrapped his arms around her tighter.  
  
"Like what?" Kaye asked as she leaned back against him.  
  
"I'm sure we'll figure something out." Kento replied with a grin.  
  
Inside the house, Cye and Rowen were in the living room, they rolled their eyes as Rowen was flipping through the stations on the TV. "Cye, did you notice that we're the only two that don't have somebody?" the blue haired genius asked with a bit of sarcasm and humor etched into his deep voice.  
  
Cye raised a brow at him in mirth, "Yeah, and does that bother you?"  
  
Rowen frowned a bit at the auburn haired young man across from him, "No not really. You?"  
  
Cye shook his head, "You know I'm sure we can find somebody if we go out to the clubs."  
  
"Yeah, considering that Maguyser is gone finally, and we can actually get some kind of life." Rowen replied in agreement.  
  
"You mean before the next one tries to take over the world or something like that?" Cye asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah, something like that," Rowen chuckled. "Ok, clubbing?"  
  
"Clubbing it is." Cye replied with a smirk as they grabbed their coats at the door and left to go do some clubbing and girl picking up.  
  
Outside the sun had gone down now as the stars began to come out and twinkle in the dark sky. The gentle breeze blew, rustling the water in the lake and making small ripples. The leaves in the trees rustled as winds blew over them and made the branches sway. The moon hung low in the sky as it began its journey over the midnight sky. Katie looked up to the face of her love as she gently pushed his blond hair from his face. Gaining his attention she smiled as she said, "Why don't we go inside now."  
  
Sage smiled back down at her as they turned and he wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked up to the back porch. Katie nudged him when she noticed Ryo and Reann on the porch and whispered to him, "Looks like a couple certain people I know are getting more and more cozy together."  
  
Sage chuckled back in response to her words as they walked up the steps to the porch and smiled at Ryo and Reann. Ryo quickly let his arm drop from around Reann as he smiled nervously at his sister and her boyfriend. "Um, hey you two. Coming back in so soon?" he asked them.  
  
Katie glanced up at Sage with a smirk who chuckled and looked away as she looked back at her brother, smiling she replied, "Yeah, its getting a little nippy out here. Thought we'd jus come inside and snuggle instead."  
  
"Oh? Is that what we were going to do?" Sage asked, grinning down at the brown haired girl in his arms.  
  
"Well, it was a thought," she replied sheepishly with a shrug.  
  
Reann laughed at the pair as she flipped her black hair over her shoulder and stood beside Ryo, smiling at them. "I've got an idea. How about we all go inside and lay back in the front while we watch a movie?" she suggested to them all.  
  
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Ryo replied with a nod of his head. "How about you Sage?"  
  
"Fine with me," the blond mumbled back as he nuzzled into Katie's neck.  
  
Laughing she leaned away from him while pushing his face away from her with her hand, "Stop it Sage," she said to him with a smile still on her face and pulled the jacket he had given her closer around herself.  
  
Sage just chuckled at her actions as an impish grin formed over his lips, "Ok, I'll behave."  
  
Reann smiled at them as she said, "Ok great, why don't you two boys go ahead in and pick out a movie and me and Kate will be right in after you."  
  
"Yeah, ok, I can do that," he replied and then with a smirk added to Sage. "You think you can pull yourself away from my sis for a few minutes blondie?"  
  
"Oh no! I couldn't bare to be without her even for that long," the blond replied sarcastically as he dramatically latched his arms around Katie as if he wouldn't let her go no matter what.  
  
Ryo rolled his tiger blue eyes at the blond and waved him off, "Whatever," he said simply and walked into the house, the screen door shutting behind him.  
  
Katie laughed as she unlatched Sage's arms from around herself and pushed the blond back at arms length from her. "You drama queen, get out of here," she told him playfully as she gave him a peck on the lips and shoved him in the direction of the door. Sage chuckled at her actions as he walked into the house after Ryo, the silent shutting of the screen door signifying that he was gone.  
  
Reann smiled as she sat down on the wooden swing that hung from the awing over the porch and laid her head against the back of it, placing her feet up on the wooden railing that enclosed the porch. Katie moved to sit down next to her best friend, pulling Sage's jacket tighter around herself as she copied what Reann had done. Silently the two ex-warriors sat there, just staring up at the stars and the night sky. Finally Reann broke the silence when she said, "You love him don't you, Kate?"  
  
Katie glanced over at her best friend with a confused expression before chuckling softly and looking back out at the night sky. "Si, yes I do Ree," she replied with a fond smile, that turned to a wicked grin when she rolled her head back over to look at Reann who still gazed up at the night sky. "And you've taken quite the liking to mi hermano, haven't you Ree?"  
  
Reann gaped at Katie with an opened mouth, silently just moving her lips as if she were trying to form the right words to say. Finally she smirked and turned her head back to look out at the sky as she said, "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
Katie laughed at her, nudging her with a grin on her face. "Oh but I think you do. I saw you two. You looked very..... I guess I could say cozy, with him," she told her with a very pleased grin plastered on her face.  
  
"Shut up!" Reann shouted back at her, giving her a light shove as her cheeks turned rosy red. This only made Katie laugh more. The dark haired girl's glare slowly melted into a smile as she found herself laughing along with the brown haired girl beside her. Soon their laughter died down to chuckles here or there as they wiped the tears from there eyes and looked back at the sky.  
  
Silence fell over the two once again as they went back to their own thoughts. Reann glanced over at Katie, a frown coming over her features. "Kate?" she started to gain her attention, "Are you..... Are you glad Maguyser's finally dead? Like, do you feel at ease now? Like you could finally live your life in peace and forget what happened?"  
  
Katie was silent for a moment as she thought over what Reann had asked her. She'd thought about that ever since they had finally killed the demon three weeks ago. "Yes and no," she replied finally and glanced over to look at Reann. "I'm glad that he's dead yes, but I will never be able to forget what happened while I was under his rule. Move on with my life yes. Try and live in peace, yes, I can try and do that, but I can never forget what I did no matter how hard I try."  
  
Reann smiled softly at the girl she used to hold rank under. Those were the same answers she came up herself for those very same questions. Another question struck her that she'd been pondering over for a while now. "Kate," she said and Katie looked back over at her again. "Why.... Why did you bring me back? Why not just let me stay dead?"  
  
Katie chuckled softly to herself as a warm smile spread across her face and she looked back up at Reann. "Because Ree, I love ya and I couldn't bare to live without ya," she replied with a bright smile to her. "You're my best friend and the closest thing to a sister I have."  
  
Tears came to Reann's eyes at Katie's words. To hear her say that she loved her and thought of her as family, was heart warming to her. To think that she had someone who thought of her as their best friend and sister brought tears to Reann's eyes and made her feel like she was loved. Without even saying a word, she wrapped her arms around Katie and hugged her tight. "Thank you Kate, for always being there for me," she whispered to her as tears fell from her brown eyes.  
  
Blinking in confusion at her, Katie hugged her back tightly. "Denada, Ree," she whispered back while silently hugging her friend back.  
  
The screen door opened and Ryo popped his head out of it, a frown coming to his face at what he found. "Um," he said and both girls jumped at his voice. Smiling he said to them, "Movie's starting if you two were going to join us."  
  
Katie smirked at her brother as Reann quickly wiped the tears from her face. "Ok, we'll be right in," she said to him and Ryo nodded as he pulled his head back in the screen door and it shut again. Turning back to Reann she smiled and said, "Come on, let's go watch the movie before they probably end up carrying us in."  
  
Reann chuckled at her words as she sniffed and stood, stretching her arms out wide and breathing in the cool night air. Katie stood after her, pulling the jacket around her and smiling as she held her arm out to Reann. Curiously Reann looked at her arm and then back up at the smiling face of her friend before smiling as well and taking her arm in hers. Smiling, at feeling at ease inside finally, Reann and Katie walked arm in arm into the house to watch the movie ---the screen door shutting behind them and closing out the past they wanted to forget so badly.  
  
The End ----or is it?


End file.
